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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  M'.N  STREET 

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(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


□    Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagde 

r— I  c 
! I  c 


0 


n 


0 


D 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pelliculde 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

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Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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n 

n 
n 

n 

D 
D 


Pages  damaged/ 
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obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


n 


Additional  comments:/ 
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Ce  document  est  film^  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

SOX 

J 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

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conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
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sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^'  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemolaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commenpant  par  la 
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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
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beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  6  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1  2  3 

4  5  6 


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P  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


/ 


liV 


J.    MACDONALD    OXLEY, 

Author  of  "Ben  LloycCs  Boyhood,"  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

LMERICAX  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETr 
1420  Chestnut  Street  ' 


Pi  '^^11 

C2 


201450 


Entered,  arcording  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  ISIK),  hy  the 

AMKHICAN  BAPTIST  I'l  HLICATION  SOCIETY, 

In  the  Oftice  of  the  Librarian  of  Con^^rcss,  at  Wasiiington. 


At 


II 


CONTENTS. 


AHOUT  Two   IDKAS, 

' 


•    •    • 


IM),  by  the 

TY, 

inglon. 


Ojf  von  THE  North, 

"'§  ^    ^^KCULIAR    PUOTEGK 

nil 


CHAPTER  ir. 


CIlAPTf:il  III. 


.    .    ,,  CIIAPTKIl  IV. 

M         ^■^'"''I'K   WITH    THK    ICK.  . 


[At  Nacuvak, 


ClIAPTEU  V. 


CflAPTEU  VI. 

Ox   THK   TkACK   OF   IlEVHV   Hunsox,    . 

,p„  CIIAPTEK  VII. 

[iKEPAUrxa   FOR   ACTIOX, 


,  ^  CHAPTER  VIII 

[Amoxg  THE  MOXSTKRS,    ... 


A  Good  Day's  Work, 


CHAPTER  IX. 


fN  Peril,   . 

'       •    •    «    . 


CHAPTER  X. 


P4P ': 
.    .       5 


17 

28 
40 


52 


G5 


76 


.      87 


98 


.   no 


3 


I'l 


'I 


« 


4  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XI. 
In  TiMM— Thank  God! 123 

CII AFTER  XII. 
In  Quikt  Watkrs, 137 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Gathkring  Clouds, 150 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Storm  Breaks, 102 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Due  Koktii, 1T> 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Into  Winter  Quarters 188 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
A  Reindeer  Hunt, 199 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Esquimaux  Experiences, 213  , 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
An  Arctic  "Winter, 220 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Home  Again       219 


ff 


c 

and 

Ileal 

ten  a 

|cortJ 

char 


(( 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


CHAPTER  I. 


ABOUT    TWO   IDEAS. 


[!■> 


.     .     188 


.     .     199 


.     213 


22<; 


.     239 


CAPTAIN  MARLING  liad  an  idea.  So  too  had 
a  sturdv  bov  fourteen  vears  of  ao-e.  brown  of  hair 
and  eyes,  and  ruddy  of  cljcek,  wlio  bore  so  strong  a 
resemblance  to  tlie  eaptain  that  you  hardly  needeil  to 
hear  tlie  hitter  call  iiiin,  "Hal,  my  boy,"  and  to  note 
the  h)()k  of  proud  afiletion  in  lii.s  wcll-bronzcd  coun- 
tenance, to  know  wliose  son  he  was.  The  two  were 
certaiidy  very  much  alike  both  in  appearance  and  in 
;character. 

j^     "He's  a   regular  chip  off  the  old  block,"  the  cap- 

|t:iin  would  say  when  telling  some  incident  tiint  illns- 

;^tratt'd  Harold's  fearless  spirit,  or  tenacity  of  purpose, 

|tw()  qualities  that  were  a  better  inheritance  for  him  than 

stocks  (U'  mortgages. 

The  affection    felt   by  the  two  toward  each  other 

was  of  peculiar  strength.     Harold  was  an  only  child, 

[and   his  mother  had  died  when  he  was  but  a  little 

el  low. 

He  had  been  lefl  to  the  care  of  a  childless  aunt. 


I  III 


I 


6 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


who  though  affectionate  aiul  anxious  enough,  knew 
notliing  about  boy  natnre  and  failed  entirely  to  Mndei- 
stand  her  vigorous,  enterprising  eharge.  He  therefore 
not  only  missed  a  mother's  synij)athy  and  patience,  bni 
never  eanie  to  feel  at  ease  in  his  annt's  house,  every- 
thing there  being  too  quiet  and  precise  for  his  viva- 
cious ways.  And  so  the  brightest  periods  in  his  lifo 
were  when  his  father  would  return  from  one  of  his 
long  voyages,  bringing  with  him  wonderful  gift^,  and, 
what  was  still  better,  cansing  a  temporary  snspen- 
sion  of  the  firm  discipline  that  made  his  boy's  lil'e 
unhappy. 

The  advent  of  the  captain  wrought  a  remarkable 
ehano;e  in  Aunt  Etter's  demure  household.  He  was 
her  brother,  and  they  were  the  only  remaining  mem- 
bers of  their  family.  They  were,  moreover,  bound  to 
each  other  by  sharing  in  a  common  sorrow,  for  she  had 
lost  her  husband  not  long  before  Harold  became 
motherless  ;  and  now  her  whole  heart  was  fixed  upon 
this  burly  brown-bearded  man,  who  in  his  turn  ex- 
hibited toward  her  au  affectionate  tenderness  that 
was  tlie  joy  of  her  life. 

Notliing  that  the  captain  would  do  was  wrong  in 
Annt  Etter's  eves.  No  sanctnarvwas  too  sacred  to  be 
invaded  bv  him.  He  mii»;ht  smoke  in  the  usuallv  silent 
shaded  drawing  room  and  not  provoke  a  nuwmiir. 
No  rnle  of  domestic  discipline  was  regarded  as  bind- 
ing uj)()n  liini.  The  meals  were  arranged  at  just  what 
hour  he  pleased.     The  lights  were  burned  as  late  as 


1 


oi 


% 


'% 


Vi 


Ugh,  IvllGW 

Y  to  'iiulei- 
e  therefore 
tit  leiico,  bill 
use,  everv- 
ir  his  vi va- 
in his  Hie 
one  of  his 
I  gifts,  and, 
,ry  suspen- 
)  boy's  lite 

remarkable 

I.     lie  was 

iiiiiiT  nieni- 

r,  bound  to 

)r  she  had 

hi    became 

fixed  upon 

s  turn  ex- 

rucss   that 

M-rong  in 
liered  to  be 
lially  silent 
murmur, 
d  as  bind- 
just  what 
us  late  as 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES.  1 

he  liked,  and  altogether  the  frigid  formai  liome  life 
^vas  completely  broken  up,  and  Ilarohl  felt  like  a 
pri>oner  liappily  releascnl  from  confinement. 

It  must  not  be  wondered  at,  then,  if  Captain  Mailing 
was  more  to  Harold  than  an  ordinary  father,  for  he 
uas  a  father,  mother,  benei'actor  and  liberator  all  in 
one,  and  his  son  worshiped  him  as  if  he  were  notiiing 
le.-s  than  a  demigod. 

Harold,  on  the  other  hand,  received  from  his  father 
not  only  his  own  share  of  love,  but  standing  as  it 
>vere  in  his  mother's  place,  had  concentrated  upon  him- 
self the  full  power  of  the  captain's  big  heart;  for  he 
could  hardly  move  or  speak  without  suggesting  the 
pretty,  graceful  woman  who  ten  yeai'S  before  had 
passed  gently  away  leaving  him  to  Aunt  Etler's  care. 

And  so  these  two  were  all  the  world  to  each  other, 
as  tlie  saying  is,  and  now  that  Harold  was  maidng 
good  progress  through  his  teens,  the  captain  found 
pleasure  in  laying  before  him  his  plans  for  the  future 
as  well  as  in  relating  the  history  of  his  last  voyage. 
It  was  in  this  way  that  Harold  came  to  kne  .v'  of  the 
captain's  idea,  and  forthwith  to  entertain  an  idea  of 
his  own. 

Captain  Marling's  idea  M'as  a  rather  curious  one, 
and  marine  civdes  at  Halifax  were  much  concerned 
about  it.  Such  an  enterprise  had  never  been  attemjjted 
])}■  any  "  Bluenose"  before,  and  it  was  therefore,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  pronounced  quite  j)reposterous  and 
(piixoiie.     Yet  the  ciiptain  did  not  look  like  a  man 


^ 


a 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


I  II 


t     I 


ill 


I 


ulio  would  hastily  enter  upon  a  wild-goose  chase, 
neither  did  his  past  record  afford  ninc-h  ground  for 
tlie  gossips  and  others  to  work  upon.  His  reputation 
Mas  that  of  a  prudent  and  foreseeing,  though  enter- 
prising and  daring  man,  and  the  almost  uniform 
success  that  had  attended  his  previous  ventures, 
niakiui;  him  now  at  fortv-five  vears  of  a<re  a  com- 
i)arativelv  wealtliv  man,  showed  clearlvenouji:h  that  he 
usually  knew  very  well  what  lie  was  about. 

Nevertheless,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  his  friends 
huii^hed  incredulouslv,  or  arirued  earnestlv,  and  liis 
enemies  sneered  contemptously,  when  Captain  Marling's 
idea  was  under  discussion.  ]5ut  the  captain  iwinded 
neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  He  was  in  the  prime  of 
life.  Every  faculty  of  mind  and  body  was  at  its  best. 
He  had  made  ample  provision  for  his  boy  incase  of 
disaster  falling  npoji  himself,  and  now  he  proposed  to 
indulge  in  the  fulfillment  of  a  desire  that  had  been 
witii  him  ever  since  he  first  took  to  the  sea. 

Unlike  manv  other  sailors, he  had  alwavsbcon  fond 
of  reading.  His  chest  had  never  been  without  its 
well-thumbed  volume,  and  somehow  or  other  these 
books  had  generally  related  to  the  Arctic  region.  The 
moving  stories  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  of  Dr.  Kane, 
and  Dr.  Hayes,  and  of  the  earlier  English  explorers 
M'ho  had  pitted  their  lives  against  the  terrors  of  these 
"thrilling  regions  of  thick-ribbed  ice"  in  brave  en- 
deavor to  ]>ierce  their  mysteries,  stirred  his  soul  like 
trumpet  blasts,  and  in  ids  youth  he  had  registered  a 


lVo\| 

'«S 

soul 
and! 
InttJ 
tnoil 
had! 
put 
fcft 
khei 
froze 
A 
to  m 
Woul 
liad  ( 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


)se  cliase, 
•omul  for 
vptitatioii 
gli  eiuer- 
:  uniforiM 
venture.-!, 
;e  a  coin- 
rh  that  he 

is  friends 
,  and  Ids 
Marling's 
n  iwindal 
J  ])rinieof 
[it  its  best, 
in  case  of 
•oposed  to 
hud  been 

l)cen  fond 
ithont  its 
her  tiiese 
ion.  The 
|r.  Kane, 
}X})h)rers 
of  these 
>rave  en- 
Ronl  like 
listered  a 


{^ow  to  make  at  least  one  trip  toward  the  Pole  as  soon 
lis  ills  eircnnistanecs  \\ould  permit. 

That  tune  hail  come  at  last.  Voyaging;  north, 
south,  ej.st,  and  we.-t,  circnnmavi^uting  the  globe  over 
and  over  again,  at  first  in  the  employ  of  others  and 
latterly  as  his  own  employer  and  master,  making 
money  often  where  others  entirely  failed,  his  wealth 
had  steadily  increased,  until  he  was  able  not  only  to 
put  by  as  much  as  Harold  ought  to  need,  but  to  have 
left  over  more  than  enough  to  gratify  his  long-cher- 
ighcd  ambition  to  try  a  tussle  with  the  icebergs  of  the 
frozen  North. 

At  the  same  time  he  diil  not  by  any  means  propose 
^  make  his  expedition  purely  a  pleasure  trip.  He 
woidd  combine  business  with  pleasure,  and  to  this  end 
hail  determined  upon  taking  a  whaling  vessel  for  his 
ship,  and  seeking  to  secure  as  many  monsters  of  the 
deep  as  would  by  their  blubber  and  bone  pay  the  ex- 
j^nses  of  the  voyage  at  least.  A  shrewd,  far-seeing 
iDnn  was  Captain  Marling,  and  much  as  his  friends 
|nd  ac(|iiaiiitances  migiit  laugh  at  his  idea  and  strive 
to  dissuade  him  from  putting  it  into  execution,  he  only 
lanuhed  back  at  them  saying,  good-hiwnoredly:  '"Have 
vour  sav,  mv  friends,  have  vour  sav.  It  relieves  vour 
mind  and  does  not  alter  mine,  so  nobody's  the  worse. 
Tin  going  up  North  whether  you  be  true  or  false 
pTdphets. 

_  Aunt  Ettcr  was  at  first  in  a  quite  pathetic  state  of 
mental  bewilderment.     She  had  such  unqualified  faith 


■  '£y 


10 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


-:l 


; ' 


in  her  brother  that  she  could  hard! y  conceive  of  li is  do 
iiur  anvtliinix  fuoli.-ii  ;  and  vet  between  her  own  vauue 
exaggerated  noiions  about  tiic  Arctic  regions,  whicii  she 
imagined  liad  a  huge  pohu*  bear  on  every  pinnacle  of 
ice,  and  niigiity  whales,  wicked  sword  fish,  and  tierce 
walrus  as  thick  as  sheep  in  a  pasture,  and  the  ill-ad- 
vised gossij)  of  her  friends  wiio  pound  into  her  ever- 
open  ears  all  sorts  of  terrifying  tales,  she  was  wrought 
up  to  a  Slate  of  nervous  excitement  that  it  rtjquired  all 
the  captain's  addi'css  and  firmness  to  keep  he^'  in 
check  ;  and  only  after  nuich  argument  and  per.^u  .-inii 
Mas  she  finallv  induced  to  set  her  mind  at  rest,  and 


cease  worrvinij. 


The  caj)tain's  idea  in  brief  was  as  follows:  He  had 
imrcluised  in  Dundee,  Scotland,  a  fine  steam  whaKr 
Mith  all  her  equipments.  He  had  also  engaged  a  full 
com{)leraent  of  harpooners,  boat  steerers,  and  line 
managers,  taking  the  utmost  care  to  select  men  of 
good  repute,  and  these  with  the  engineers,  carpenteis, 
and  ordinary  seamen  made  up  as  fine  a  crew  as  he  had 
ever  had  under  him.  His  first  mate  and  several  of 
his  crew  were  men  who  had  sailed  with  him  for 
years,  being  "Bluenoses"  like  himself;  the  remainder 
iiailed  from  Dundee,  coming  over  to  Halifax  in  the 
shij). 

The  arrival  of  the  "Narwhal"  at  Halifax  created 
no  small  ripple  of  excitement,  and  all  day  long  the 
wharf  to  which  she  was  moored  received  its  stream  of 
visitors,  bent  on  examining  as  closely  as  they  niight  Ix' 


1  1m 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


11 


•e  of  liis  do- 
own  vague 
',  whicli  she 
pinnacle  of 
I,  and  fierce 
1  tlie  ill-a<l- 
to  lier ev(r- 
as  '.vroMg-lit 
required  all 
eep  lie^'  in 
I  pei'sU  yu>i\ 
at  rest,  ainl 

s :  He  IkkI 
.am  wlia'ur 
a!j:ecl  a  full 
,  and  line 
cL  men  of 
carpenters, 
^v  as  he  luul 

several  of 
;li   liini   fur 

reniainiltr 
ifax  in  the 

rax  created 
IV  lonij  the 
stream  of 
y  might  Ix' 


permitted  the  fust  steam  whaler  that  had  ever  been  in 
the  port ;  and  the  "  Narwhal"  was  well  worth  a  vi.-it. 
Sididly  built  of  the  very  best  materials,  her  bow 
sheathed  with  thick  iron  plates,  and  everything  about 
her  speakinii'  of  sturdy  strength  to  resist  the  deadly 
embiace  of  the  ice  pack,  or  the  cruel  blow  of  the  berg, 
she  jiitsentcd  a  very  dilferent  appearance  exteriuuly 
from  tiie  ordinary  siiip  or  steamer.  Then  in  her 
cabins  and  her  hold  there  was  still  more  to  interest  the 
visiter,  'i'iic  joiig  ranges  of  iron  taidcs,  now  filled  to 
the  brim  with  coal,  but,  if  the  fates  were  propitious, 
to  overflow  in  due  time  with  unctuous  blubber;  the 
strong  swift  whalcboats  carefully  stowed  amidships  ; 
the  arsenal  of  guns,  har])oons,  lances,  and  blid)i)er 
spados,  standing  in  their  racks,  jxdished  to  i)erfection, 
and  ready  for  service  at  once  shoidd  such  a  miracle 
ha]u>eii  as  that  a  svhale  should  make  its  aj)pearanee  in 
Halifax  Harbor  ;  the  comfortable  forecastle  and  cosy 
cabins,  the  powerful  engines,  well  e({iial  to  the  task  of 
driving  the  "Narwhal"  through  opposing  fields  of  ice 
—all  tlie.-e  proved  siibja'ts  of  lively  interest,  aud  to  no 
one  more  than  the  captain's  son. 

I'rom  the  day  the  "Narwhar'steamcd  up  the  harboi-, 
and  glided  into  her  berth  at  the  wharf,  Harold  had 
foresw  111  all  other  amusements  in  her  fiivor.  Unless 
his  father  wished  his  comjjany  elsewhere,  he  spent  all 
his  free  time  on  board  the  steamer,  until  presently 
thei-e  was  not  a  nook  or  craimy  of  her  hold  or  cabins 
thai  he  had  uoi  exploied,  not  a  mast  that  he  had  not 


12 


rP  AMOXG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Ii 


climl)c(l,  not  a  harpoon  whose  quality  lie  had  not 
tested,  by  the  familiar  proeess  of  breatiiing  upon  its 
polislied  hurfaee.  Being  tiie  ea])tain's  son,  the  crew 
from  the  first  mate  down  were  naturally  very  good  to 
him,  and  many  a  thrilling  story  he  heard  from  Red 
Angus,  the  big  harpooner,  or  from  Colin,  the  boat 
sterrer,  of  tough  encounters  with  mighty  whales,  or 
sharp  tussles  with  polar  bears.  And  tiie  more  he  saw 
and  heard,  the  more  his  idea  took  possession  of  him 
initil  he  beeame  })raetieally  a  boy  of  one  itiea.  It  was 
with  him  awake  or  asleep.  It  filled  his  dreams  i)y 
iiij»ht,  and  drove  his  lessons  out  of  his  head  bv  dav, 
Had  he  stopped  to  think  about  it,  he  would  certainly 
liave  said  that  his  hap{)inoss  depended  entirely  upon 
his  being  permitted  to  realize  his  dreams. 

J>ut  all!  just  tlurc  was  the  rub.  The  j)rospects  of 
liis  having  his  wish  were  not  at  all  bright,  for  both 
his  father  and  aunt  seemed  strongly  opposed  to  it. 
The  grounds  of  Aunt  Etter's  opposition  were  simple 
enoULdi : 

"No,  no,  John.  I  can't  abide  the  thought  of  poor. 
little  Harold  going  up  amongst  the  wiiales  and  bear; 
and  Esquimaux.  It's  all  well  enough  for  big  men. 
but  it's  not  the  place  for  boys.  AMiy,  John,  I  lie 
awake  at  night  picturing  to  myself  our  darling  boy 
frozen  stark  and  stiff  on  an  iceberg,  or  maybe  torn  to 
pieces  by  a  polar  bear,  and  it  just  puts  me  all  of  a 
quiver." 

"■  Oh,  well,  you  needn't  take  so  gloomy  a  view  of  it 


al 


c: 


^po,- 
tiiinj 
awa\- 
thert 

PS 


I 

Bah 
with  I 

"I 

mind 

opinio 
to    su."- 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


13 


»  had  not 
upon  ita 
the  crow 

■y  i;ood  to 

i'roin  lied 
,  the  boat 
whales,  or 
arc  lie  saw 
on  of  him 
a.  It  was 
dreams  hv 


^5^U 


'ilB  all  that,"  answei'od  the  captain.  ioassurin<>;ly.  ^'If 
]|e  eamc  with  us,  I'd  taivo  good  care  that  he  was 
fgcposod  to  no  needk'ss  risks.  It's  not  that  I'm 
thiiil<iiiLr  of.  But  it  seems  to  me  a  i)ity  to  take  him 
away  irom  school  when  he  is  doin^^  so  well  there;  and 
ihert's  no  telling  how  long  we  may  be  away.  Per- 
haps only  one  year,  jierhaps  two  or  even  more;  and 
J^  I  must  say  it  goes  against  my  heart  to  refuse  poor 
Hal.     lie  seems  so  in  earnest  about  wanting  to  come 

Witil   ILS." 

V  *'  I  tiust,  John,  you  have  snffieient  strength  of 
ad  bv  dav,  ininil  not  to  allow  Harold's  (Coaxings  to  eiiange  your 
d  certuinlv  opinion  "  said  Aunt  Etter,  rather  siiffly,  for  slie  began 
irelv  upon     ^  suspect   her   brother  of  showing   some   signs   of 

wavering. 

rosnects  of     '   Indeed,  it  was  very  liard  for  liim  to  be  firm  and 

for  both     decided.       From    the    first  mention   of  his    plan    to 

o»eil  to  it.    Harold,    the    boy    had    pleaded    to    be   permitted    to 

ere  sinijilo    aOtX)nipany  him,  and  after  the  "Narwlial"   arrived, 

mid   her   manv  interestintr  features  had  been  all  ex- 

al^ined,  Harold's  earnestness  rose  to  fever  })itch,  until 

al  length  one  day  A*hen  the  captain  was  feeling  rather 

ilipitable,  anyway,  his  son's  importunities  caused  him 

to   turn    upon    him   sharply,    saying:    "Now,    Hal, 

dlAt's   enough   about   it.      Not  another   word,   or   I 

shall  send  you  off  to  the  country  until    the  '  Nar- 

wlial '  lias  sailed." 

Hal  looked  up  at  his  father  with  an  expression  of 
view  of  it  ''"'i*'"'^'^^'  ^^"'•^  P^^'^i   t^'^t   ^ve"t   I'iglit,  to  the  captain's 


[lit  of  poor, 
and  bear- 
big  men. 
[olin,  I  lio 
larling  boy 
be  torn  to 
le  all  of  a 


i^ssit*' 


u 


Ul*   AMONG   THK   ICE-FLOES. 


i     I 


il  I  ill! 


heart.  Hid  eyes  filkxl,  liis  lip  tiornblcd.  IIo  seemed 
upon  tlic  point  of  biir.<tiii<;  into  a  flood  of  tear.';.  JJiit 
l)y  a  noble  effort  lie  controlled  himself,  and  with 
drooping  liead  tnined  dejectedly  away.  ]lenc('f;rtli 
he  said  nut  anotiier  word  abont  going  in  the  f-teamer, 
bnt  his  srad  iace,  his  qniet  ways,  his  failing  nppetitc, 
ghowe<l  plainly  enough  how  dee{)ly  he  felt.  The; 
captain  did  his  best  to  cheer  liim  tip  by  bein^' 
boisterously  cheerful,  and  seeking  out  all  sorts  of 
diversion  for  him  ;  while  Aunt  Eiter  nobly  sccoiKhd 
his  efforts  by  preparing  toothsome  dij^hes  to  tempt 
his  indillerent  appetite.  13ut  all  .to  no  purpose,  for 
Harold  refused  to  be  comforted  by  such  means.  p 

In  the  meantime  the  final  preparations  for  tlio 
fitting  out  of  the  "Narwhal"  were  going  rapidly 
forward.  Great  stores  of  beef,  pork,  biscuits,  flour, 
])otted  meats,  canned  vegetables,  and  other  foo(l 
sufficient  for  two  whole  years  on  full  rations,  were 
carefully  stowed  away  ;  the  coal  bunkers  were  gorged 
with  black  diamonds,  and  the  blubber  tanks  filled  I 
with  the  same  grimy  material;  the  water  tanks  oii'^ 
after  another  received  their  charge  of  precious  fluid, 
and  there  was  little  letlt  to  be  done. 

Still  Harold  opened  not  his  mouth.  Day  after  day 
he  went  down  to  the  steamer  immediately  he  was  free 
from  school,  and  the  kind  hearted  sailors  who  knew  <>; 
his  desire  to  go  with  them,  and  of  his  father's  refusal, 
tried  to  cheer  him  bv  telling  him  to  "Never  mind  !' 
the  captain  would  take  him  next  time  for  certain,  ami 


prof 

Nurl 


UP   AMON(J    TlIK    ICE-FLOFS. 


15 


seemed 
^  15iit 
id  with 
iicet'orih 
htcaiucr, 
!ij)potit(', 
It.  Tho 
y  bi'liii^ 
f^orts  of 
Biccondetl 
to  tempt 
pose,  tor 

IS. 

for  tlie 
rapidly 
ts,  Hour, 
cr  lb"  t(l 
ns,  wcro 
•c  Q;nrg*'(l 
ks~  fille.1 
inks  ow 
ju.s  flukl, 

after  d:iy 
was  free 
knew  'ti 
;  refiis:il, 
'  mind  !' 
tain,  ami 


'■Hi-, 


])n)niislni^  to  hrinu;  liiin  all  sorts  of  trophies  from  the 
JSDrth,  a  youn;^  stal  to  pet,  a  walrus'  tusk,  a  Ix'ar's 
}»:iw,  ami  so  forth.  Harold  tlio  oughly  appreciated 
their  kindne.^s, — although  indeed  it  only  added  to 
his  heartaclie, — and  felt  bound  to  seem  somewhat 
hiigliteneil  hy  it ;  but  all  the  same  his  eager  longing 
lost  none  of  its  force. 

At  length  the  day  of  departure  drew  near.  On  the 
morrow,  if  the  weather  were  favorable,  the  "Narwhal" 
would  set  forth.  Poor  Harold  moved  about,  the 
very  picture  of  a  disconsolate  boy.  He  had  two 
causes  f>r  Ixiing  miserable.  Tiie  j)ariing  with  his 
father  was  always  a  great  trial  to  him,  and  it  seemed 
now  particularly  hard  to  bear  when  in  all  probability 
he  would  be  longer  away  than  ever  l)ef)re  ;  and  then 
theie  Was  his  own  deep  disappointment  in  addition. 
'J'lie  last  evening  the  little  fmiily  of  three  sat  down  to 
tea  toirether,  Harold  seemed  unable  either  to  sav  a 
Avord  or  eat  a  bite,  although  the  captain  did  his  best 
to  be  merry,  and  Aunt  Etter  spread  the  table  with  her 
most  delicious  dainties.  Many  a  troubled  glance  did 
his  father  give  him  across  the  table,  and  more  than 
*once  an  expression  of  half-formed  resolve  flitted  across 
liis  face,  that  might  have  given  Harold  some  comfort 
Could  lie  have  cauirht  its  meaning. 

Much  earlier  than  his  usual  hour,  Harold  bade 
the  captain  an  affectionate  good-night  and  w  nt  off 
q'lietly  to  bed,  his  father  saying  as  the  door  closed 
iii)on  him  :  "  Poor  little  bov  !     I  hate  to  refuse  him." 


16 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES, 


:!:' 


^1: 


Captain  iVFarlini^  romaiiifil  talkliif^  with  liis  sister 
until  a  late  hour  and  tlicu  went  oil*  to  his  room.  A.s 
ha  ])as-(!tl  Ilarohl's  door  lie  could  not  rt'sist  tii(3 
impulse  to  go  in  and  take  a  look  at  his  darling  boy. 
Ihirohl  was  asleep,  but  there  were  signs  of  recent 
tears  upon  his  pale  face,  and  he  stirred  uneasily,  like 
one  whose  slumber  was  far  from  sound.  N(;ver 
before  had  he  seeineil  to  the  captain  to  look  so  much 
like  his  dead  mother.  The  big,  strong  man  fairly 
started  at  the  striking  resemblance.  . 

Presently    Harold's    lips   moved.      His    face   took 
on   an    expression    of    })assionate    entreaty,  and    he 
mnrnnu'ed  hiintlv,  vet  clearlv  enouirh  tr  be  heard  : 
'    "Oh,  father,  please  take  me.     I'll  be  so  obedient. 
Please,  father,  please  do." 

Then  the  light  shining  in  his  face  awakened  him, 
and  his  big  brown  eyes  opened  wide.  In  an  instant 
he  sprang  up  in  his  bed,  threw  his  arms  around  his 
father's  neck,  buried  his  face  in  the  brown  beard, 
and  sobbed  out,  piteously :  ''Take  me  with  you,  father. 
Take  me  with  you,  or  it  will  break  my  heart." 


'if 


IJ 

caj)t 
onlv 

S  hav« 
was 

/    him 

:'|   tliroi 

J^'  11  ie, 
now 
was  1 
broai 
dear 

i  Votl.' 
te  si)()k( 

5       Jl: 

I  fathei 

%  iri'adi 

..  dear, 

'  miiili 

brolh( 


<<? 


atfi 


s  Slater 
1.      As 

list  tlio 
ng  boy. 
t'  recent 
ilv,  like 
Never 
o  nuH'li 
11  fairly 

2e   tooU 
and    he 
iinl  : 
bedient. 

1  him, 

instant 

ind  his 

beard, 

father. 


'$    I 


vjM. 


■;% 


CHAPTER  IF. 


OFF    FOR   TIIK    NORTH. 


H'  I'-^IiD'S  passicMiate  appeal  provi'd  irresistible. 
Like  a  dyke  tiiat  the  sea  lias  iinderniined,  the 
('aj)tain's  resolution  had  l)een  weakening  daily.  Not 
onlv  for  llai'oUi's  sake,  but  for  his  own,  he  louijed  to 
have  tiie  bov  with  him  on  the  adventurous  vovaije  he 
was  about  to  undertake,  and  only  the  desire  to  keep 
him  a  little  longer  at  ids  school,  and  the  tear  lest 
pcriiaps  he  was  still  too  young  to  pass  nnseathed 
tiirough  tiie  eontaminating  influences  of  shipboard 
life,  ha»l  enabled  him  to  stand  firm  hitherto.  And 
now  these  defenses  were  swept  awav  with  a  rush  there 
was  no  withstanding.  Clasping  Harold  tightly  to  his 
broad  breast,  he  said,  tenderly,  ''  You  shall  go,  my 
dear  bov.     You  shall  go  with  me.     1  can't  <ro  without 


') 


von. '  And  his  eves  glistened  nnmistakablv  as  he 
spoke. 

Harold  lifted  his  head,  looked  straight  into  his 
fatiier's  eyes,  while  a  look  of  inexpressible  jov 
irradiated  his  face;  and  then,  with  a  glad  cryof  "Y(»u 
dear,  dear  father!''  kissed  the  captain  with  all  his 
might,  and  the  covenant  was  sealed. 

Aunt  Etter  was  of  course  greatlv  shocked  when  her 

CD  » 

brother   ainiounced    his  siidden   change   of    mind    ia 

B  17 


Sfcii 


'm 


18 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FL()I-:S. 


iPi'iii 


,iii 


II  •ii! 


i;'i 


reference  to  Harold.  ''  Really,  Joliii,  "  she  said,  quite 
sternlv,  "  I  mive  vou  credit  for  more  strcn<i;ili  of 
mind.  You  know  very  well  tiiat  it  would  be  niucii 
better  for  Harold  to  remain  with  me  here  than  to 
be  thrown  into  association  witii  the  rough  men  on 
vour  steamer.  And  tlien  just  think  of  all  tiie  dangers 
to  which  lie  will  be  exposed  ! — and  he  so  young,  and 
his  education  not  complete?  " 

"Pitch  into  me  as  hard  as  you  ])loaso,  iNIartha ; 
I  dare  say  I  deserve  it.  But  I  can't  help  it,  all 
the  same,"  replied  the  captain,  good  naturedly.  "  The 
bov  is  dving  to  go,  and  I'm  dving  to  have  him, 
and  t!iat's  an  end  of   it." 

"  Well,  John,  of  course  you're  .ot  boimd  to  take  my 
advice  in  the  matter,"  retorted  Aiuit  Etter,  "but 
if  anything  happens  to  Harold,  my  conscience  sliall  be 
clear,  at  all  events."  And  having  thus  eased  iier 
mind,  like  the  sensible  woman  she  was,  she  said  no 
more,  but  proceeded  to  get  Harold's  outfit  in  readine.-s 
with  as  much  zeal  and  loving  thoughtfidness  as  if  she 
liearrily  approved  of  his  going. 

Tiie  sailing  of  the  "Narwhal"  was  delavcd  foradav, 
in  order  that  Harold  might  be  properly  supplied  with 
everything  he  coidd  possibly  require  in  the  way 
of  clothing  and  comforts;  and  then  at  lust,  on  the 
morning  of  the  2d  of  June,  with  the  sun  shining 
down  from  an  unclouded  sky,  a  gentle  breeze  rip])liiig 
the  blue  bosom  of  the  iiarbor,  and  Sam,  the  black 
cook,    playing   "  The  girl    I    left  behind  me,"  with 


rm 


UP   AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


19 


quite 
;ih  of 

iiiueh 
lan  to 
leii  on 
angers 
g,  and 

Martha ; 

it,  all 

"  The 

e  biin, 

akc  my 
,  "but 
shall  be 
ed  her 
aid  no 
adine.-s 
p  if  .siie 

|r  a  (lav. 
,'d  with 
lie   N\ay 
on  the 
shining 
[ippliiig 
black 
with 


the  skill  of  a  "  Xcgro  niiiistrcl,"  on  a  concertina, 
tiie  "  Narwhal"  udidvd  graccfullv  down  the  harbor, 
while  Aunt  Etter  waved  a  hist  farewell  from  her 
enttatjr<3  behind  the  IJaitcrv,  with  the  white  cloih 
snatched  up  from  the  breakfa.-it  table. 

As  rlie  throbbing  engines  drove  the  whaler  onward 
wi'ii  increasing  speed,  and  the  houses  of  Halifax 
lost  tiicir  individual  distinctness,  and  blended  into 
one  gray  mass  tliat  climbed  the  hill  from  the  liar- 
bor  to  the  citadel,  Harold  felt  as  if  there  coidd  be 
no  bounds  to  his  delight.  Never  before  in  his  lifj 
had  he  felt  so  happy.  Ilis  iiithcr  was  too  busy 
to  give  him  any  attention,  l)nt  that  didn't  matter, 
for  he  was  just  as  busy  himself.  Now  he  would 
\\\>\\  to  the  bow  to  watch  the  waves  curling  back  in 
foam  from  the  steamer's  ii'on  [)row  ;  then  he  woidd 
dive  down  into  the  hot  enirine  room  to  look  at  tl 


movements  o 


f   tl 


le    mi 


won 


Id, 


wu 


h  tel( 


">C0{ 


)e 


ght 
at  1 


V   maclinierv 


and 


nex 


t   1 


le 


le 


us  eve, 


be  t 


rvmg  to  make 


" 


out  Aunt  Etter's  trim  cottage,  and  to  see  if  she  were 
s>till  waving  the  white  tablecloth. 

Straight  out  iiuo  the  ocean  went  the  "  Narwhal," 
until  having  put  a  sulficient  brcailth  of  blue-green  sea 
between  herself  and  the  rocky  shore,  she  tiu"n(Hl 
almost  due  north,  and  proceeded  onward  with  tlie 
Nova  Scotian  coast  at  her  left,  and  the  great  glori- 
ous ocean  stretching  awav  indcfinitelv  on  her  risrht. 
There  was  a  Hue  fresh  westerly  breeze  blowintr,  whi<;h 
increased   in  vigor  as   t'le   morning    moved   toward 


20 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


niul-(l:iy,  and  presently  the  "Narwhal"  began  to 
pitcli  and  toss  in  a  lively  manner,  to  \vhi<;h  Harold 
was  not  at  all  accustomed.  He  tlionght  it  very 
fine  fun  at  first  as  the  powerful  .-teamer  di{)pe(l  and 
rose  again  with  the  lightne-^s  of  a  diiek  ;  and  standing 
bv  the  taffrail,  with  the  breeze  doing  its  best  to  blow 
his  cap  off  his  head,  he  laughed  for  very  joy. 

Ere  long,  however,  he  began  to  have  a  feeling  inside 
as  if  he  had  eaten  somethiniz;  at  breakfast  which 
had  raised  a  row  with  his  digestive  apparatus.  A 
most  wretched  sensation  of  squeamish ness  took  pos- 
session of  him,  and  he  was  glad  to  sit  down  upon 
the  bench  beside  the  cabin  skylight,  especially  as  his 
head  was  swimming  in  a  very  bewildering  fashion. 
He  did  not  feel  exactly  alarmed  at  his  novel  experi- 
ence, but  he  did  feel  very  much  pi-ovoked.  All 
his  spring  and  vigor  seemed  to  have  left  him,  and  he 
became  as  limp  and  languid  as  a  jelly-fish.  What 
could  be  the  matter?  Was  he  reallv  croinor  to  be  ill, 
and  that  just  at  the  beginning  of  the  splendid  time 
he  hoped  to  have?  The  thought  was  dreadful,  anil 
he  did  so  wish  his  father  would  come  aloncj.  But 
although  he  Imew  he  could  not  be  far  away,  he 
})ositively  had  not  the  strength  to  get  up  from  his 
seat  and  call  to  him.  After  &ittin<r  there  for  he  knew 
not  how  long, — it  seemed  like  hours,  it  may  have  been 
only  a  few  minutes, — his  heart  gave  a  bound  of  joy  at 
hearing  the  captain's  strong  voice  shouting  out : 
"  Hal,   my   boy,    where   are  you  ?  '^     With   a  great 


,1 


UP    AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


21 


can  to 
Iiirold 
t  very 
ed  till' I 
ami  i  11!^ 
0  blow 


riiiisulc 

which 
lis.  A 
ok  ])os- 
n  upon 
y  as  his 
fashion. 

experi- 
U     All 

and  he. 
What 

)  be  ill, 
llid  time 

I'nl,  and 
But 


S- 


Lwav,  lie 
[I'om  his 
Ihe  knew 
[we  l^eeii 
)f  joy  at 
liu^"  ont : 
a  great 


eflfort  Ilarohl  rose  from  his  scat,  and   reveak^d  lilm- 
seit". 

'•Ah  !  there  yon  are,"  cried  tlie  captain.  "  I've  just 
been  h;okin<j;  for  von.  First  minute  I've  liad  to  spaie 
since  \ve  started.  But — iiello!  uiiat's  tlie  luatter  with 
you?"  iie  exclaimed,  as  he  noticed  Harold's  pallid 
face  and  limp,  forlorn  appearance. 

Then  siuideuly,    much   to  the  surprise  of  the  boy 

who  expected  i>is  fither   to  look  very  concerned  and 

[syniputliizintr,  the  bintf    mariner  burst  into  a  lauirh 

2iid  threw  iiimself  down  beside  him,  saying  as  he  i)ut 

[liis  brawny    arm    affectionately    about   his   shoulder  : 

I"  fla !    ha  !    my  lad,  and    so    you're    feeling    rather 

[iniserahle  in  your  hold.      Well,  never  mind.      We've 

tali  been  throujjh  it.     Won't  do  vou  a  bit  of  harm.    Jic 

dl  riy;ht  bv  to-morrow.     Come,  I'll  take  von  down  to 

ivour    berth.       You'll    be    more    comf)rtable    there." 

[And  picking   up  the   big  boy  as   though   he  W(M'e  a 

[bai>y,  the    caj)tain    threw  him  gently  over    his  broad 

shouliier,  and  carried  him  down   to  ids  snug  cabin, 

;"where  he  stowed  him  away  in  his  own  berth. 

{i     Tliat  was  Harold's  first  experience  of  sea  sickness, 

if  and  fortunatclv  it  did  not  last  ^-erv  lonir.      He  was  a 

1||)retty  wretclied    individtiul    all    that  night,  and   not 

■Ijgood  for  much  the  t\)llowing  day;  but  by  the  evening 

of  tiie  second  day  he  had   picked  up  a  bit,  and  the 

inorning    found  him    as  chippei'    as  a  sparrow,  witii 

a  fine  app(>tite  for  breakfast. 

In  the  meantime  the  "  Narwhal  "  had  ploughed  her 


:,'ji 


■^, 


22 


TIP   AMONG   TPIE   ICE-FLOES. 


way  past  Nova  Scotia,  and  Capo  Breton,  and  across 
the  great  Gulf  of  St.  La\vren(,'o,  and  was  now  nearing 
the  cruel  coast  of  NewfoiimUani].  She  had  not  been 
making  j)articularly  rapid  progress  becausa  the  wind 
had  been  dead  ahead,  and  Ca})tain  Marling  did 
not  think  it  worth  while  to  expend  a  large  quantity 
of  coal  for  the  sake  of  another  knot  or  two  an  hour. 

So  soon  as  Harold  had  his  sea  legs  on,  he  proceeded 
to  make  a  thorough  examination  of  his  surroundings. 
As  regards  cabin  accommodations,  he  found  himself 
exceedingly  well  provided  for.  The  whole  stern  of 
the  "  Narwhal  "  was  taken  up  with  a  large  saloon 
surrounded  bv  a  number  of  staterooms,  the  saloon 
being  liirhted  by  a  skvlight,  which  made  it  verv 
bright  and  airv.  The  lariiest  and  best  stateroom  Mas 
of  course  the  captain's,  and  it  contained  two  berths, 
the  upjier  being  assigned  to  Harold,  who  therefoi'e  had 
the  comfort  of  knowing  that  his  father  was  sleeping 
beneath  him  and  within  easy  reach. 

The  captain's  cabin  was  somewhat  larger  than  an 
ordinary  stateroom,  and  titted  up  with  every  possible 
convenience,  no  pains  or  money  having  been  spared  to 
make  the  ''  Narwhal"  a  comfortable  home.  Not  even 
a  bath  had  been  forgotten,  for  what  seemed  like  a 
luxuricms  arm  chair  proved,  on  being  stripped  of  its 
trappings,  to  be  a  huge  bath  tub  that  would  have  con- 
tented an}' Jonathan  or  John  Bull.  Thei^>  were  chests 
of  drawers,  of  rich  dark  mahogany  with  bright  bra.-s 
bandies,  set  cunningly  into  the  corners;   tiiere  were 


UP   AMONG   TIIK   TCE-FI.OES. 


23 


1  across 
Hearing 
lot  been 
lie  wind 
ng  did 
i[uantity 

hour, 
[■oceeded 
iindings. 

liimj^elf 
stern  of 
e  saloon 
e  saloon 
I  it  very 
I'ooni  was 
berths, 

tore  liad 


sk'opin 


than  an 
possible 
)ared  to 
S'ot  even 
d  like  u 
led  of  its 
ave  con- 
re  chests 
r\\t  bra-s 
ere  were 


racks  of  books  fixed  firmly  upon  the  walls,  and 
containing  scores  of  volnnies  dealing  princi[)aily  wiih 
life  and  adventure  upon  tiie  high  seas,  and  up  in  tlie 
frozen  North  ;  there  were  pictures,  telescopes,  guns, 
revolvers  and  hunting  knives  artisticiilly  arranged; 
and  altogetlier  it  would  have  been  a  queer  boy  who 
aficra  good  look  at  Captain  Marling's  snug  cabin  did 
not  at  once  pronounce  it  perfection. 

Harold  had  his  own  chest  of  drawers,  his  own  book 
raek,  on  which  his  Bible,  llobinson  Crusoe,  and  other 
liieiMiy  treasures  stood  in  neat  rows,  and  what  pleased 
Ijini  even  more,  his  own  rifle  and  revolver,  presented 
to  him  by  his  fatiier  on  tiie  day  tiiey  left  Halifax, 
with  the  promise  that  he  would  teach  him  to  use  them 
as  soon  US  he  had  a  little  leisure.  He  was  an  intenselv 
liMppy  boy.  The  relief  from  the  routine  of  school, 
and  from  the  prim  monotony  of  Aunt  Etter's  house- 
hold, cond)ined  with  the  prospect  of  a  long  and 
ndventurous  voyage  with  his  father,  filled  him  to  over- 
flowing with  delight.  Even  while  his  sea  sickness 
was  at  its  worst  he  felt  no  inelination  to  turn  back, 
Ithough  his  father  pretended  to  think  he  did,  saving 
Wto  idni  verv  seriously  as  the  *' Narwhal "  was  bowliiu*- 
'ijncrrilv  along:  *' Prettv  sick,  niv  bov,  aren't  vou  ? 
.^AVould  vou  like  to  <ro  back?  Just  sav  the  word, 
„jyou  know,  and  I'll  run  into  Sydney  and  start  you 
Son  v<iur  way  home." 

I      Harold  was  too  ill  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  a  joke, 
but  not  too  ill  to  raise  himself  up  in  his  berth,  and  to 


24 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


I 


I     [|;I!'M 


reply,  in  a  tone  of  indignant  doterniination  tliat 
Mas  comically  at  variance  with  lii.s  })allid  face : 
"  No,  indeed,  sir.  You'll  do  nothin<jj  of  the  kind. 
I'll  soon  be  all  right."  And  then,  as  exhausted 
by  the  effort  he  dropped  back  upon  his  pillow,  the 
captain  patted  his  foreheail  sooilNUixly,  saying  :  "  Of 
course,  you  will,  Hal,  my  boy.  You'll  be  all  right  by 
to-morrow  i)robablv.  I  was  only  teasing  vou  a  bit." 
The  other  staterooms  that  opened  iAV  from  the 
saloon  were  occupied  by  the  iirst  and  second  mates, 
the  first  and  second  engineei's,  and  the  surgeon, 
and  these  gentlemen  composed  the  captain's  nie.-s. 
Harold  soon  made  up  his  mind  about  each  of  them. 
The  first  mate  was,  like  Captain  ^Marling,  a  Xova 
Scotian,  a  bluff  old  sea-dog,  who  was  never  content 
away  from  salt  water,  free  from  all  family  ties,  and 
not  showin<»:  much  affection  for  anvbodv,  save  his 
captain,  whom  he  served  with  a  gruff  fidelity  that 
knew  no  wavering.  His  name  was  Peter  Strum. 
The  second  mate  presented  a  very  striking  contrast  to 
Ins  immctliatc  superior,  for  he  was  young,  handsome, 
dashing,  and  popular.  To  see  Frank  I^^wis  arrayed 
in  his  best  shore-wing  clothes,  saunterinni:  al()n<j:  tlu; 
main  street  of  Halifax,  vou  migiit  easily  have  taken 
him  for  some  dandy  landsman  who  had  somehow 
or  other  became  very  much  tanned  ;  but  the  same 
Frank  Lewis  at  sea  in  a  howling  gale,  with  a  "sou'- 
wester" tied  tight  upon  his  head  and  oil->?kin  coat 
buttoned  close,  was  a  very  ditlerent  being;  and  despite 


ai 


Th 


on    tliat 
id    face  : 
lie  kiml. 
xhaii.-tLMl 
[low,  tho 
-.    "Of 
rio-lit  l)v 
u  a  bit." 
[Vom    I  lie 
il   niatcrs, 
surgeon, 
ii's   mess, 
of  I  hem. 
,  a  Nova 
r  content 
tics,  and 
save   liis 
ility  tliat 
Strum, 
ntrast  to 
uulsome, 
arrayed 
doni»;  the 

CD 

ve  taken 
omehow 
lie  same 
a  "  sou'- 
>kiii  coat 
d  despite 


UP    AMONG    THE    ICE-FLOES. 


25 


I  all   his  da-liin^i;  dandyism,  at  whieli  old  Strum  was 
/?  very  fond  of  poking  t\ui  in  Ids  chunsy  iliduon,  Frank 
lia'l  few  superiors  as  a  seaman. 

The  eiiuineers  were  Scotch  men,  who  had  come  out 
in  the  '•  Xarwhah  "  Tliey  wore  ([uiet,  reserved  men, 
Aviiose  hearts  were  on  tlieir  work,  and  were  very  much 
atta.'lied  to  eacli  oilier,  seeming  not  to  need  any  other 
society,  altliouuh  disposed  to  be  sociable  enough  when 
C"a|)taiu  ^larling  or  tlie  others  made  advances  to  them. 
Tiioir  names  were  D*jnald  Stewart  and  Archibahl 
McMillan. 

Finally  there  was  tlie  surgeon,  a  high-spirited 
young  ic'llow,  fresli  from  colh'ge,  and  full  of  pleasure 
at  I  lie  prospect  before  him.  lie  had  a  brilliant  record 
as  a  student,  and  iiis  friends  wondered  very  much  that 
Kai'iiest  liintou  did  notatonee  settle  down  to  practice. 
But  he  was  in  no  liurrv.  He  was  both  vounu;  and 
wealthy,  and  proj)()sed  to  iiave  a  spice  of  adventure 
before  settlintr  down.  Accordinulv,  no  sooner  iiad  he 
lieard  of  Captain  ^Earling's  project,  than  he  at  once 
offered  iiimself  as  surgeon  on  a  nominal  salarv,  and 
"Was  cordially  accepted.  IIo  was  a  good-looking 
athletic  chap,  with  a  fine  record  for  })rowess  on  the  sod 
and  cinder  path,  and  Harold  fell  in  love  with  him 
most  promptly.  Frank  Lewis  woidd  be  his  hero,  but 
Dr.  Linton  would  be  his  chum,  and  he  felt  vcrv  rich 
in  his  friends. 

While  these  necessarv  particulars  have  been  irettino' 
themselves  set  down,  the  "Xurwhal"  lias  been  steam- 


.  i 


iP 


'*te. 


-M 


I 


26 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


iii<^   onward   past  the   NowfoiUKllaiul  coast,   and    by 
to-morrow  morning  will  be  in  the  harbor  of  Sr.  John's. 
It  was  a  gloi'ion.s  evening,  quiet  and  clear ;  the  sea  was 
aflame  wiih   phosphorescence,  and   Harold,  fascinat(.Ml 
by   the  sight  of  waves  of  molten  gold  rolling  back 
from  the  steamer's  prow,  had  been  a  long  time  at  the 
bow,  leanintjc  over  the  <2;nnwale.    The  deck  was  almo-t 
deserted,   all    being    below  in   saloon  and  forecastle, 
exce{)t  the  lookout  on  the  other  side  of  the  ship  from 
Harold,  and   the  seconil  mate,  pacing  the  poop  witi' 
steady  step  and  watchfid  eyes,  whistling  softly.     Ti., 
forehatch  happened  to  be  left  open.    It  lay  in  the  deep 
shadow  cast  by  the   funnel,  and  presently  something 
strangely   like  a   human    head   was  lifted    above  the 
combiiiii:,  a  i)air  of  keen,  anxious  eves  took  a  lia.-tv 
glance  about,  and  then  the  head  disappeared.     After  a 
moment's  interval  it  was  lifted  again.      This  time  it 
staved  Ioniser,  and  the  eves  caui^ht  siixht  of  Harold's 
form  outlined  again-t  the   bulwarks.      The   lookout 
changed   his    position  a  step  or  two,  and    instantly 
tiie    head  vanished.      Once  more  it  was  raised,    and 
this  time  the  coast  seemed  clear.      The  lookout  was 
motionless,  the  mate  was  at  the  far  stern,  and  only 
Harold  was  in  sight.     As  silently  as  a  snake  a  queer 
dark  form  crawled  up  from  the  hatchwaA''  and  crept 
noiselessly  toward    the    unconscious  boy  at  the  bul- 
warks.    Skillfully  kee})ing  in  the  darkest  shadows,  it 
got   right  behind  him,  and  then  paused,  for  between 
him  and  it  there  was  u  broad  band  of  moonlight  it 


^!^Se^1S 


UP  AMONG  THE  irF:-FLoi:s. 


27 


and   1)V 
.  John's, 
soa  was 
scinated 
vj:  back 
le  at  the 
s  almost 
)rec'a.stU', 
lip  from 
)op  witi- 
y.     T,.. 
the  deep 
)mctliiiig 
bove  the | 
a  ha.-ty 
After  a 
time  it 
larold's 
lookout 
instantly 
ed,    and 
out  was 
id  onlv 
X  queer 
nd  crept 
he  bul- 
dows,  it 
between 
ilight  it 


dared  not  cross.  One,  two,  tliree,  four,  five  minutes 
j)as.-cd,  and  tliere  was  no  I'uriiier  movement.  Then 
Harold,  saying  ah)nd,  ''Dear  me!  time  to  go  to 
bed,"  turned  away  to  go  toward  tlie  cabin.  In  so 
doiiiii;  lie  passed  bv  the  shadow  wherein  the  mvsteri- 
ous  form  cowered  trembliiiirlv.  Then  like  a  lla.^ii  an 
arm  was  tlirust  out,  and  a  thin  hand  was  laid  upon 
his  arm,  while  a  weak,  })iiiful  voice  said,  in  tones  of 
agonized  entreatv  :  "  For  the  love  of  God,  sir  !  " 


CHAPTER  in. 


A    I'ECULIAIl   TROTECiE. 


H 


WITH  a  grent  start  of  surprise  Harold  turned 
upon  tlie  speaker.  He  l)('lu.'l<l  In^fore  liini, 
somewliat  obseured  In-  llie  heavy  sluidows,  a  enrious- 
l()okin<;  beiny;.  It  was  a  bov,  seeinin<rlv  of  about  his 
own  aire,  but  adillerenee  of  eireumstance  had  wrouiilit 
a  wonderful  difference  of  appetiranee.  While  Harold 
\vas  ruddy  of  face  and  sturdy  of  figure,  this  }K)or 
creature  was  wan  and  pinched,  with  garnuiits  hangiu!,' 
about  a  frame  that  was  not  verv  nnich  better  than  a 
skeleton.  Yet  his  face  was  not  unj)leasing.  Sharp 
and  starved  as  it  looked,  its  expression  was  in  no  wi>e 
vicious,  and  the  ])assionate  intensity  of  entreaty  it  now 
ex})ressed  would  have  touched  a  far  harder  heart  than 
Harold's.  Noticing  the  lalter's  hesitation,  and  fearini^ 
lest  he  should  call  out,  this  unexjH'cted  apparition  mad-! 
as  tiiough  he  woidd  draw  him  back  into  the  shadow, 
saying,  in  the  same  piteous  tones:  "For  the  love  (»f 
God,  sir,  listen  to  me." 

"  AVhat  is  it  ?  AVhat  do  you  want? "  asked  Harold, 
not  unkindlv,  unconsciouslv  vieldiu";  to  the  othci-'s 
influence,  and  stepping  aside  into  the  dark  nook  from 
which  he  had  so  suddenly  emerired. 

"Please,  sir,  I'm  starving,  and  I'll  die  if  I  don't 
28 


a 


.tM 


UP  AM<).\(J  Tin:  i('i:-FL()f;s. 


29 


turned 
•e    him, 

L'Ul'iollS- 

)out  his 
.vroiiLiht 

lis  poor 
han>:iiiL: 

than  a 

Sharp 

no  \vi>e 

•  it  now 

t  tluui 

fcariiii; 
)n  mad'! 

hadow, 

h)ve  of 

[Farold, 
orlu'i''s 
)k  from 

I  don't 


ir 


soon  ijot  a  bite  to  oat.  I've  liad  notiiln''  to  cat  hnt  a 
bit  of  a  K)af  since  we  j^tarted,"  answered  the  boy,  whose 
wlioic  appearance  gave  sucli  strong  support  to  iiis 
story. 

**  Hut  who  arc  you,  and  wliat  arc  you  doing  here?" 
queried  IlaroKl,  iooUiiii^  hard  at  luni. 

••  Please,  sir,  my  name  is  Patsy  Kehoc,  and  I'm  a 
stowaway — that's  the  truth  of  it,  and  it's  no  umi  a 
denvin'  it."  And  Patsv  lunii;  his  liead  us  if  he  dared 
not  hjoU  his  (picstioner  in  tiie  face. 

A  stowawav  !  The  name  touclied  Harold's  svni- 
])atiiics  at  once,  and  made  ids  lieart  beat  more  (piickly. 
ilow  oficn  he  had  rea<l  about  these  daring  ciia[)S  wlio 
uoidd  indc  away  in  dark  noisome  liokls,  and  there 
ciuhii-*'  all  sorts  of  sulftring  until  the  time  came  to 
n,'veal  themselves!  But  until  now  he  had  never  seen 
one,  and  he  regarded  l*atsy  with  a  keen  curiosity 
n<tt  unmingled  with  admiration.  (Quickly  noting  the 
friendliness  of  his  look,  Patsy  spoke  again:  "You 
won't  give  jue  away,  sir,  will  you  ?" 

"Give  vou  awav?  How  do  vou  mean?"  asked 
Hal,  not  (piite  understanding  him. 

"You  won't  tell  the  captain  on  me?  He'll  put  me 
otr  at  St.  John's,  if  you  do,"  ex[)lained  I'atsy. 

"  Why,  the  captain's  my  father,"  returned  Hal, 
M-ith  :i  proud  ring  iu  his  voice,  "and  he'll  let  you  stay 
il"  r  ask  hitn." 

"Oh  please,  sir,  don"'t  ask  him,  sir.  He'll  put  me 
ofl'  sure,  if  he  finds  me  out.     That's  the  way  they  did 


30 


UP   AMON(i   THE   ICE-FLOKfl. 


■with  Tcddv  Sliea  oiilv  last  .'^iinimer,  and  he  liad  to  find 
his  way  hack  as  best  lio  coidd." 

"  Fatiier'.s  too  kind  to  do  iliat,"  said  Hal,  conli- 
dently.  *' J3ut,  anyiiow,  I  won't  tell  him  it' you  don't 
want  me  to.     Wiiat  do  you  want  of  mo  now?" 

"  Won't  you  j)leaso,  sir,  got  me  a  hit  to  eat  and  then 
I'll  crawl  back  into  the  hold  au:ain." 

"  J5ut  surely  you  won't  go  down  into  that  dark, 
dreadful  place  again!"  exclaimed  Hal,  with  a  sinuhicr. 

*'  1  will,  i)lea.-5e,  sir,  until  the  ship's  got  j)ast  8t.  John's, 
and  then  I'll  just  take  my  chances  with  the  caj)tain.'' 

"Well,  stay  here,  till  I  get  you  something  to  eat, 
anvwav,"  said  Hal,  going  of!*  toward  the  cabin. 

He  had  tlie  freedom  of  the  ship,  and  no  one  ever 
thought  of  questioning  his  movements,  so  that  it  wa,> 
easy  for  him  to  go  into  the  steward's  pantry — which  ho 
Avas  ulad  to  find  deserted — and  take  anvthinu;  he  pleased 
from  it.  Hastily  filling  two  pockets  with  biscuits  and 
snatching  iip  a  bone  of  ham  that  had  a  good  deal  ot 
meat  still  left  upon  it,  he  hastened  back  to  the  bow. 

Patsv's  eves  fUrshed  at  the  sight  of  the  ham  and 
biscuits,  and  witlk  a  fervent  ''Lord  love  you,  sir!"  he 
proceeded  lo  stow  them  away  as  best  he  could  in  his 
tattered  garments.  It  made  Hal's  heart  ache  to  see 
the  poor  little  fellow's  trend)ling  eagerness,  and  when 
he  ventured  one  more  request,  he  was  only  too  glad  tu 
lidfill  It. 

"  Could  you  get  me  a  sup  of  water,  sir?  I'm  pow- 
erful dry,"  begged  Patsy. 


■I 


UP   AMONG   THK   IC'K-FLOES. 


31 


(1  to  find 

il,  coiili- 
•<)U  doiTt 


1  tlioii 


aiK 


lat  (lark, 
shudder. 

t.  Jollll'r*, 

captain."' 
g  to  eat, 
ill. 

one  ever 
at  it  was 

whic'li  lie 
»e  })leasetl 
iciiits  and 
d  deal  ol 
le  bow. 
ham  and 

sii'!'^  lie 
dd  in  Ills 

le  to  see 

nd  wlien 


o  glad  to 


L  m  pow- 


"Of  coiirso  I  (Ml!,"  rosp()nde(]  Hal,  promptly.  II(; 
in.-tantly  llmiiulit  of  a  tin  can  wiili  a  cover  to  it  that 
lie  liad  seen  ihat  cvenin<j:  in  Siim's  </alIev,  and  went  oil' 
attci'  it.  Sam  was  not  pic-ent  to  protest,  and  .*^eciiring 
the  tin,  Ilal  filled  it  full  with  water  antl  returned  to 
bis  newly-found  protege. 

"(jidd  Mess  V(jur  kind  Ik  art!  It's  nothinir  less  than 
fin  aiig<  1  that  you  are!"  ejaculated  Patsy.  "And  now, 
iir,  1    must  be  after  getting  back  to  my  place  again." 

In  much  perplexity  Ilandd  watched  the  dauntiesa 
little  ftdlow  di.-appear  down  the  half-open  hatchway 
Bs  >oftlv  and  .silcntiv  as  a  shadow.  Jle  felt  so  sure  of 
his  father's  permitting  the  stowaway  to  remain  on 
board  that  he  long(.'d  to  run  and  tell  him  about  Patsy. 
But  Patsv  had  bciiijed  so  hard  for  him  not  to  do  this 
until  after  the  '^Narwhal"  had  left  St.  John's  that  to  do 
Bo  now  would  seem  like  breaking  faith  witii  him.  Yet 
-the  thought  of  his  passing  another  night,  and  j)erhaps 
even  longer,  in  some  dark  corner  among  the  casks  and 
tanks,  when  he  might  be  snugly  ensconced  in  the  fore- 
castle, was  very  repulsive. 

§  Harold  longed  to  take  counsel  with  some  one.  But 
ill  whom  should  he  confide?  He  felt  as  though  he 
did  not  know  any  of  the  men  on  board  well  enough 
ret  to  trust  them  with  his  secret.  No ;  if  he  could 
fjiot  tell  it  to  his  fluher  he  coidd  not  tell  it  toanvbodv. 
that  \\as  clear.  And  so,  feeling  that  he  had  no  small 
.burden  on  his  mind,  he  returned  to  the  saloon,  where 
;  his  father  hailed  him  with  a  cheerv  :  "  Well,  Hal,  niv 


UP   AMO^•G    THE   IC»FIiOE3. 


hov  ;  IkuI  cnoiiirli  .star  ii;aziii<j;?  about  time  to  turn  in 
isn't  it?" 

"  I'm  jii.st  going,  sir,"  answered  Harold.  And  bid- 
ding him  "  good-niglit,"  lie  was  soon  snug  in  his  bcrdi. 

But  he  was  not  soon  asleep,  for  Patsy  Kehoe  kej)! 
him  awake,  and  when,  an  hour  later,  the  captain  him- 
self turned  in  he  was  surprised  to  find  his  boy's  eyts 
still  open.  "Hello,  Hal,  not  asleep  yet?  What  :u-e 
vou  thinkino;  about?"  he  asked,  in  an  affectionate 
tone. 

It  was  onlv  bv  a  creat  effort  tliat  Hal  restraino<l 
liimself  from  there  and  then  making  full  confession, 
But  lie  did  mannge  to  keep  his  counsel,  replying 
brightly:  "Just  been  wailing  for  you,  sir,  I'll  soon 
go  to  sleep  now." 

Captain  Marling  threw  himself  into  his  berth,  and 
presently  his  heavy  breathing  announced  that  he  was 
off  to  slumber  land.  But  Harold  still  stayed  on  tin's 
side  the  magic  boundarv.  Two  different  thou<rhis 
were  troubling  his  mind.  He  could  not  help  thinkin,' 
of  poor  little  Patsy  cowering  comfortlessly  somewhero 
in  the  forehold,  while  he  nestled  snugly  in  a  luxurious 
berth;  and  then  again  he  felt  as  though  he  were  doinL' 
Avi'ong  in  k(!e})ing  Patsy's  presence  a  secret  from  his 
father,  now  sleeping  so  soundly  just  beneath  him.  At 
length,  however,  the  long-delayed  sleep  came,  and  with 
it  dream  after  dream,  in  every  one  of  which  Pat-y 
figured.  Now  he  was  being  ordered  off  the  ship  i)y 
Captain  Marling,  who  looked  dreadfully  angry,  and 


i 


■'** 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


m 


turn  in, 

Vnd  b'ul- 
lisbenli. 
'hoe  kept 
tain  him- 
)()v's  eves 
^''luit  are 
lectionate 

rcstrainc'l 

otifes^>ion. 

replying 

I'll  soon 

)erth,  ami 

at  he  was 

d  on  ilii> 

thougliis 

thinkiu,' 
niewliere 
uxui'ioiis 
ere  doiiiL' 
iVoni  his 
liini.  At 
and  witli 
eh  Pat-y 
I  ship  hy 
igry,  and 


now  he  was  in  connnand  himself  and  was  ordering 
Captain  Marling  to  do  something;  and  so  it  went  on, 
until  morning  came  and  found  Harold  not  as  much 
refreslieii  as  he  oui:;ht  to  have  been  bv  his  night'd 
rest. 

The  "  Narwhal "  i)ad  reached  St.  John's,  and  going  on 
deck  Harold  saw  ronnd  abont  him  tha  towering  elilKs 
of  this  famous  harbor,  and  straight  in  front  the 
iniphiilieatre  of  the  city.  Here  iliey  spent  the  day 
purchasing  furs,  adding  some  further  supplies  to  their 
larder,  and  securing  the  addition  to  their  crew^  of  two 
exj)erienced  sailors — men  thorougidy  acquainted  with 
tbe  wild  region  for  which  they  were  destined,  hi  the 
bustle  and  activity  that  filled  the  day,  Harold  quite 
iforgdt  his  protege,  and  it  was  not  until  as  the  siui  sank 
in  the  west  the  steamer  ttuMied  away  from  St.  John's, 
ftutl  passing  out  through  the  harbor's  narrow^  gateway 
begtui  once  more  to  toss  about  upon  the  Atlantic's 
restless  bosom,  that  he  bethouixht  himself  of  the  bov 

|i  the  forehold.     When  he  did  think  of  him,  he  was 
])atient  for  the  time  to  come  when  he  need  be  bur- 
dened with  his  .secret  no  longer. 

'  'J'he  evening  was  fine  and  clear,  the  breeze  fresh 
f|tld  favorable,  and  Captain  Marling  sent  the  steamer 
ji|tong  almost  at  her  best  speed,  while  lie  stood  on  the 
iiige  talking  earnestly  with    one  of  the    men  who 

pid  joined  them  at  St.  John's.  He  was  evidently 
H  excellent  luiinor,  for  his  heartv  \awAi  could  l)e 
lizard  now  and  then  ringing  out  as  the  sealer  wotdd 

c 


34 


UP   AMOXa  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


say  sometliing  that  tickled  his  fanny.  Harold  noted 
all  this,  but  still  it  would  not  do  to  interrupt  him  jii.^t 
then. 

The  sun  vanished,  the  stars  came  one  by  one  into 
their  places,  the  sailors  put  the  ship  in  order  for  the 
night,  and  then  everybody  went  below  except  tho.-e 
wijo.se  duty  it  was  to  remain  on  deck.  Captain 
Marling  took  the  sealer  down  into  the  saloon  to 
consult  some  charts  with  him,  and  all  was  quiet  on 
board  the  "  Narwhal,"  save  the  ceaseless  throbbiui,^ 
of  the  engines,  and  the  plashing  of  the  waves  that 
seemed  to  be  vainly  striving  to  oppose  her  onward 
progress. 

Now  was  the  time  for  action.  Goino;  forward  to 
the  hatch,  fortunately  not  yet  battened  down,  Harold 
gently  removed  a  section  of  the  covering,  and  loaning 
over  into  the  dark  well,  called  out,  softlv  :  "Pat'vl 
Patsv  !  Come  I  "  There  was  a  stir  somewhere  over 
in  a  far  corner,  a  whispered  "I'm  just  a  comin',  sir," 
and  presently  the  thin  sharp  face  was  underneath 
Harold,  and  peering  up  eagerly  at  him. 

"  Come  along,  Patsy.  Coast's  clear,"  said  Harold, 
in  his  most  encoura<2:in<j:  tone. 

Witliout  a  word,  Patsy  wriggled  up  on  deck,  and 
stood  beside  his  friend.  He  was  about  as  tall  as 
Harold,  but  woefully  thin,  and  evidently  very  weiik, 
as  genuine  an  object  of  compassion  as  one  could 
well  imagine.  Harold  put  his  hand  upon  Patsy'j 
shoulder  with  a  gesture  of  protection.    "  Poor  fellow! 


-^. 


i<i. 


(1  noted 
lim  jiirit 

me  into 
for  the 
pt  th();^e 
Captain 
aloon  to 
quiet  on 
irobbiivj; 
ives  that 
'  onward 

rward  to 
\,  Harold 
d  leaning 
"Pat'.yl 
lere  over 
iin  ,  sir, 
iderneatli 

Harold, 

lock,  and 
AS  tall  as 

trv  weak, 
lie  could 
n  Pat.^y'- 

Dr  fellow! 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOFS. 


35 


vou've  had  a  niiiihtv  hard  time  of  it.     But  voii'il  be 
all  riixht  before  vou've  been  a  mouth  witli  Us." 

l*atsy  looked  up  at  him  gratefully.     "It's  sure   I 
am  that  you'll  be  kind  to  nie,  sir,"  said  he. 

"Oil,  I  won't  be  the  only  one.  Come  along,  now, 
and  let  father  see  yon,"  «iid  Harold,  ^moving  (AY 
toward  the  cabin.  Patsy  hesitated  a  moment.  He 
shrank  from  going  into  the  presence  of  the  big,  bluff, 
strong-voiced  captain,  whom  lie  had  been  watching 
for  days  at  the  wharf  before  he  dared  to  stow 
away  on  board  his  steamer.  But  it  had  to  be  done. 
Ko  matter  what  the  captain  might  do  to  him,  it  could 
hardly  be  so  bad  as  hiding  in  that  horrid  hold  with 
his  life  in  constant  peril  from  hunger  and  thirst, 
not  to  mention  the  huge  rats  that  run  over  him  in  the 
darkness,  and  stole  what  little  food  he  had,  fighting 
fiercely  together  over  it  afterward.  Then  again 
die  had  the  captain's  own  son  to  plead  for  him,  and 
Burelv  that  would  count  for  a  (jreat  deal. 

Strengthening  himself  by  these  reflections.  Patsy 
followed  Harold  along  the  deck,  and  up  the  ladder  to 
.|he  poop.  There  they  encountered  the  second  mate, 
iivho  was  in  charge  of  the  steamer. 
'^  '•  What  in  thunder  have  you  got  there?"  exclaimed 
;^u\vis,  as  they  approached  him. 

I*  llandd  held  up  his  hunds  warningly.  "Hush!" 
|ie  said.  "Don't  say  anything.  It's  a  poor  little 
Itowaway,  and  I'm  going  to  take  him  down  to 
ijiihor." 


36 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


Lewis  gave  a  long  whistle.  "  Humph  ! "  said  he, 
"  I'm  afraid  he  won't  get  a  very  cordial  reception 
tiiere.     The  captain's  down  on  stowaways." 

Poor  Patsy  gave  an  apprehensive  siuidder,  bin, 
quite  undaunted,  Harold  answered,  cheerf idly :  "On, 
that's  all  right.     He  won't  be  down  on  this  one." 

"  Perhaps  not.  You'd  better  go  down  and  see, 
anyway.  He's  in  a  very  good  liuinor  now  too," 
returned  the  mate. 

Although  his  heart  was  beating  like  a  trip-hammer, 
Harold  did  his  best  to  look  very  composed  and  at  his 
ease  as  he  entered  the  bright  well-furnished  saloon, 
wiiich  seemed  like  Paradise  itself  to  the  city  waif 
following  tremblingly  in  his  foot->teps.  So  close  did 
Patsy  keep  to  his  protector  that  Captain  MarliiiLr, 
who  was  at  the  other  end  of  the  saloon,  did  Udt 
notice  him  when  he  looked  up,  and  said:  "Oii, 
Hal.  I'm  glad  you've  turned  up.  Come  here  and 
I'll  show  you  on  this  chart  where   the    'Narwhal' 


IS  to  go. 


}> 


Harold  turned  first  red,  and  then  pale,  and  In- 
voice liad  a  tell-tale  quiver  in  it  as  he  stepped  for- 
ward, and  pointing  to  Pat.sy,  now  fully  revetded  in  the 
bright  light,  said,  in  a  tone  of  assumed  gayety,  "  I've 
brought  you  another  passenger,  father." 

Captain  iSIarling  sprang  from  his  chair,  a  fiery 
flush  sutfused  his  face,  and  his  eves  flushed  anirrilv  a- 
he  cried  :  "  AVhat's  the  meaning  of  this,  boy?  "What 
trick  have  you  been  playing  upon  me  ?  " 


'm 


snu]) 


^th 


1 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FT.OES. 


37 


said  lie, 
eception 

or,  bill, 

■:  "On, 

uml  see, 
i\v   too," 


hanimor, 
1(1  lit  liis 

1  saloon. 
;ity  waif  | 
close  dill 
Marlinu'. 

did    not 
II:    "Oil. 

ere   aiul  ^ 
N^arwhal ' 

and  lii^ 
)pe«l  l"<»i'- 
ed  in  tlic 
tv.  "  I've 


a   fit^i'v 

ugrily  as 

What 


Tlie  stowaway  started  as  thou<rli  he  would  have 
made  for  the  door,  l)ut  Harold  caught  ijiiii  by  tlie  arm, 
and  f':i('in<5  his  father  fearlessly,  replied,  in  respectful 
tones,  ''I've  been  playing  you  no  trick,  sir.  If  you 
ask  Patsy  he  will  tell  you  ail  about  it." 

'•  Well,  you  know  I  don't  want  any  good-for-noth- 
ing wluirf-rats  on  my  steamer,"  returned  Captiun 
^larling,  in  a  somewhat  milder  tone.  "  Come  here, 
vou,"  looking  crosslv  at  Patsv,  "and  let  me  hear 
what  you  have  to  say  for  yourself." 

"  Don't  be  afraid.  Just  tell  him  the  truth," 
whispered  Harold,  encouragingly,  in  Patsy's  ear. 

It  was  a  curious  scene.  The  poor,  ragged,  dirty, 
starved,  wretched- looking  stowaway  standing  before 
the  i)ig  brown-bearded  captain  under  the  strong  light 
of  the  swinging  lamp,  and  telling  his  story  in  his  own 
simple  fashion,  the  Irish  brogue  proclaiming  itself  in 
every  sentence,  while  a  group  of  men  gathered  about 
with  interested  sympathetic  faces. 

Patsy's  story  was  a  very  pathetic  one.  Ilis  mother 
was  dead,  having  lived  only  long  enough  for  hitn 
to  remember  how  good  she  was  to  him.  His  father 
iiad  married  again,  and  the  stepmother  had  nothing 
but  cross  words  and  cruel  blows  for  the  child  thtit 
Was  not  her  own.  For  vears  his  life  had  been  one  of 
Constant  misery,  until  at  last,  driven  to  desperation, 
lie  determined  to  stow  away  on  board  some  vessel 
that  was  going  on  a  long  voyage;  and  hearing  about 
the   wharves   of    the    "Narwhal's"  destination,   he 


38 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


tliouijjljt   he   could  not  do   better  than  hide  himself 
in  lier  liold  and  take  his  chances. 

All  this  came  out  by  dint  of  much  quostioiiing,  ami 
it  was  apparent  that  the  recital  had  due  effect  upon 
Captain  Marling's  heart.  His  tone,  which  at  the  fir.st 
was  one  of  impatience  and  anger,  gradually  sofrcncd 
into  one  of  sympathy  and  pity,  until  at  last  he  found 
himself  v-iving  as  he  looked  from  Patsy's  shrunken 
for.n  au  k  pallid  pinched  face  to  his  own  boy's  sturdy 
frame  and  ruddy  cheeks:  ''Poor  little  chap!  You 
havo  be'..;  avjd  hardiv,  and  no  mistake." 

Then,  as  if  recollecting  himself,  he  drew  his  face  up 
into  sterner  lines,  and  seemed  to  be  con.sidering  what 
action  he  should  take.  Harold,  imj)atient  for  his 
father's  decision,  and  fearing  lest  it  should  be  adverse, 
here  interposed,  saying  in  tones  of  earnest  entreaty, 
while  the  tears  stood  in  his  eyes;  "You'll  let  Patsy 
stay,  won't  you,  dear  father?" 

Captain  Marling  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of 
the  two  boys  before  him  with  a  quizzical  smile. 
"Humph!"  said  he  at  last.  "Not  content  with 
makini»:  me  take  vou  whether  I  would  or  no,  vou  now 
want  to  force  another  youngster  upon  me.  Well,  I'll 
tell  you  what  I'll  do.  Patsy  can  stay;  but  mind  yon, 
if  he  doesn't  prove  worth  his  salt  at  least,  I'll  ship  him  1 
back  to  St.  John's  by  the  first  sealer  I  meet.  AVe'vo 
no  room  for  useless  boys  onboard  the  '  Narwhal' 
Take  him  away  now  and  let  him  get  a  good  wash  | 
and  a  bite  to  eat." 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


39 


himself 

iiing,  aiul 
Pect  upon 
t  the  first 
softened 
he  found 
shrunken 
's  sturdy 
.p !     You 


Tliere  wao  a  nninnur  of  a{)proval  at  the  captain's 
leci-sion  from  the  listening  circle,  and,  full  of  joy 
It  the  re.-ult,  Harold  marched  Patsy  oft'  to  carry  out 
lis  father's  instructions. 


is  face  up 
ring  Nvhut 
t  for  his 
e  adverse, 
entreaty, 
let  Patsv 


other  of 
'al  smile, 
ent    with 

vou  now 
\Vell,  I'll 
nind  you, 

shij)  him 

We've 

s^arwhal.' 

ood  wash 


CHAPTER  IV. 


sil>l( 


f' 


A   BATTLE  WITH   THE   ICE. 

A  THOROUGH  wash,  a  hearty  supper,  and  a  good 
iii<rht's  rest  in  a  spare  bunk  tliere  happened  to  be 
in  the  foreeastle  effected  a  wonderful  olian<j;e  in  Patsv 
Kehoe ;  and  wlien,  tiie  next  morning,  Harold  made 
him  tlirow  his  old  rags  away  and  put  on  in  their  place 
a  suit  of  clothes  that  still  had  plenty  of  wear  in  them, 
and  fitted  him  tolerably  well,  lie  ])resented  so  improved 
an  appearance  that  Captain  jNIarling  looked  (piite  gra- 
ciously upon  him,  and  decided  that  he  should  be  his 
cabin  boy,  his  duties  being  to  wait  on  table  at  meal 
time,  keep  the  saloon  shipsliape,  and  make  himself 
generally  useful.  This  light  work  suited  the  boy  very 
well,  and  being  extremely  eager  to  ])lease,  and  very 
nimble  with  both  hands  and  feet,  while  possessing  u 
good  share  of  brain  withal,  he  soon  became  well  worth 
his  salt,  and  tliere  was  not  much  danger  of  his  being 
sent  back  on  the  first  sealer. 

His  devotion  to  Harold  was  really  beautiful  to 
witness.  He  looked  upon  him  as  the  good  genius  that 
liad  wrought  so  wonderful  a  change  in  his  fortunes. 
His  eyes  followed  him  with  the  same  deep,  trustful, 
loving  look  that  makes  a  dog  at  times  seem  almost 
human,  and  he  was  ever  ready  to  anticipate,  if  pos- 

40 


UP   AMONO   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


41 


\\\    to 
s  tliat   -^ 
tunes, 
istful, 
llnlo^t 


siMe,  anv  want  of  liis  vouuir  elianinion's — to  fetrh  and 
carrv  for  him  all  dav  lontr.  The  time  was  to  come 
wiicn  Patsy  would  make  still  o:reater  proof  of  his 
<:i:iiitiule,  and  when,  not  only  Harold,  hut  Captain 
Marling  too,  would  hiess  the  day  that  they  sho\ve<l 
kiudne-^s  to  the  little  Irish  stowaway. 

Onward,  past  the  stern,  terrible  Labrador  coast  went 
the  "  Narwhal,"  beset  by  storms  that  seemed  to  have  nei- 
ther beginniuL;  nor  end,  encompassed  by  ice  that  covered 
the  ocean's  bosom  with  a  tossing,  tumbling  breastplate, 
or  rose  into  mighty  bergs  that  towered  threateningly 
about  the  steamer  on  every  side,  or  swathed  in  dense 
chilling  fogs  that  compelled  Captain  Marling,  impa- 
tient as  he  was  to  reach  Hudson's  Straits,  to  take  in 
all  his  canvas  and  work  the  engines  at  half-speed. 

Harold  was  in  a  constant  state  of  wide-eyed  admi- 
ration and  delight,  tempered  with  delicious  thrills  of 
terror.  He  had  lived  a  pretty  quiet,  uneventful  life 
at  Aunt  Etter's,  and  the  only  adventures  he  had  hnown 
i  were  such  as  commonlv  iall  to  the  lot  of  a  bov  in  a 
bustling  seaport,  who  is  allowed  a  proper  degree  of 
liberty.  He  had  had  one  or  two  narrow  escapes  from 
(Irt)wning;  he  had  upset  out  of  a  boat  in  the  middle 
of  the  harbor;  he  had  been  lost  in  the  woods  while 
out  on  a  trout-fishing  expedition  ;  but  that  was  about 
the  r-um  of  his  acquaintance  with  danger,  and  now  he 
seemed  to  be  in  the  very  midst  of  it.  The  mighty 
ice  king  had  apparently  arrayed  all  his  forces  against 
the  "Narwhal  "  in  a  determined  effort  to  prevent  her 


43 


UP    AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


'I 


j)enetratlii<^  into  his  doininions.  Tlie  gigantic  bergs 
by  tcii^,  wiih  scores  of  "growlers,"  as  tlie  little  bergs 
are  called,  came  trooping  down  before  a  nortlicMist  gale, 
and  there  were  niijlits  when  the  berth  below  Harold's 
was  undisturbed,  for  the  captain  woidd  not  leave  tlio 
bridge.  Then  one  day  it  would  be  fog  so  dense  th;it 
you  could  not  see  from  one  bulwark  to  the  other,  and 
the  next  a  blinding  snow  storm  that  made  the  look- 
out's duty  anything  but  pleasant.  And  all  the  time 
there  was  a  heavv  and  confused  sea  runniuir,  and  the 
"Narwhal"  labored  like  a  weary  horse,  giving  vent  to 
frequent  groans  that  had  a  weird  lifelike  sound. 

This  had  been  going  on  for  a  full  week  when  some- 
thing still  worse  happened.  Late  one  evening,  the  ice, 
hitherto  broken  into  cakes  and  floes,  set  solid  to 
the  ship  fore  and  aft,  rafting  and  piling  up  all  around, 
and  for  the  next  ten  davs  the  stout  "  Narwhal  "  was 
as  helpless  as  a  fly  upon  a  carriage  wheel.  Hither 
and  thither,  up  and  down,  north,  south,  east  and  west, 
powerless  to  disobey  the  bidding  of  the  fickle  winds 
or  changing  currents  the  steamer  drifted  in  the  firm 
grip  of  the  ice,  which  seemed  as  though  it  would 
never  weary  of  its  plaything.  When  a  change  of 
wind  came,  and  the  wind  was  frequently  veering 
round  to  some  fresh  quarter,  the  pack  would  open 
a  little,  and  in  hope  of  escape,  the  engines  wotdd 
be  set  hard  to  work.  But  before  a  mile  had  been 
made,  the  pacic  would  close  again,  seeming  thus  to  be 
playing  with  its  j)risoner  as  a  cat  plays  with  a  mouse. 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


43 


ire  ot 
[eerin.: 

OlH'll 

iwouUl 
been 
to  bo 

Inoii^e. 


The  eift'ot  of    all  tliis  dolav  and  iincortaintv  was 

vciv    visihlo    on    hoard    tlie    "  Narwlial. "       Captain 

.Alarlliii^'s  Iduff  clieoriiiess  gave  place  to  anxiety  and 

irritation,  old    Petor    Striiiii    irrew    more    criislv   and 

crabbed,  if  tliat  were  po-.sible,  and  even  P^'rank  Lewis' 

usual    liigli    fc-pirit.s    suffered   an    eclipse,  to   such    an 

extent  that  he   seemed    too    much  vexed  to  whistle. 

Tlie    sailors    too    began    to   murmur   an<l   grumble, 

to  throw  out  hints  about  theirs  being  an  unlucky  ship, 

and    to   relate  what    they  conceived    to  be  omens  in 

>nj)port  of  their  forebodings.      But  in  the  midst  of  it 

;ill  there  was  one  upon  whom  these  untoward  cnrcum- 

;    ^tallces    had    not   the   slightest    effect.     His  face  was 

alwavs  bnVht  and  sunnv,  his  voice  full  of  cheer  and 

liis  step  buoyant.     All  day  long  while  at  his  work  he 

whistled  or  sang  merrily  to  himself.     His  life  seemed 

one  unshadowed  dream  of   deli<rht.       This  was  Patsv 

Kihoe,  late    dirtv,  ra<r<red,  starvinsx    stowawav,  now 

clan,  well-clothed,  well-fed  cabin  boy.     "Bless  the 

youngster!"  the  captain  would  say,  as  Patsy's  blithe 

wiiistle  came  up  like  the  warble  of  a  bird  from  the 

s   pniitiy,  where    he    was  busy    helping   the    stew-  -d. 

-   ''  Jiless  the  bov  !      He's  the  onlv  one  on  board  that's 

got  any  spirit  left.       We  might  do  worse  than  take  a 

leaf  out  of  his  book." 

One    evening    after    dinner,   during  which     meal 

,^    Patsy  had  been  waiting  upon  the  table  with  a  face  as 

'&   full  of  brightness  as  his  motions  were  quick  and  his 

«.   tiugers   deft,  Captain   Marling  called   him   to  him: 


44 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


i  ! 


"  Loolc  here,  Patsy,"  said  lie,    "  liow  is  ou're  so 

'chirpy  '  when  everybody  else  is  so  }i;lMin  ; 

"  1  don't  know,  sir,"  answered  I'atsy,  with  a 
respectful  tug  at  his  lon.'lock.  "  '8j)ose  it's  because 
I'm  having  such  a  good  lime." 

"Oh,  lio!"  laughed  the  captain.  "So  this  is  wiiat 
you  call  having  a  good  time.  1  wondei  what  Peter 
Strum  would  say  to  that?" 

"  Well,  you  see,  sir,"  said  Patsy,  f(  ling  as  if 
lie  were  in  a  certain  measure  called  up(  i  to  ex[)laiii 
himself,  "  it's  just  this  way.  You've  at  me  stay 
here,  sir,  (Jod  bless  your  kind  hear< ,  1  therL'« 
plenty  to  do,  and  plenty  to  eat,  and  u  c  eornt.r 
to  sleep  in  ;  and  then  Master  Ilaroli  has  given  iiif 
these  nice  clothes,  and  so  it's  better  on  1  r  '  than 
ever  I  was  in  my  born  days." 

"Good  for  you,  Patsy,  my  bo}',"  smiled  the  caj)- 
tain.  "You've  got  sense  enough  to  know  when 
you're  well  off,  at  all  events.  Stick  to  that,  and 
you'll  save  yourself   many  a  heartache." 

Day  after  day  di'agged  itself  wearily  along  from 
sunrise  to  sunset,  and  still  the  "Narwhal"  was  held 
in  durance  vile.  Then  one  morning  a  wild  storm 
burst  upon  her  from  the  northeast.  The  wind  raged 
and  screamed  through  the  rigging,  the  heavy  clouds 
hung  so  low  that  it  was  almost  dark  at  midday,  and 
the  seabirtls  flew  frantically  about  the  steamer  as 
if  they  looked  to  her  for  refuge.  At  first  so  vast 
was   the   pack,  and  so  firmly  was  the  "Narwhal" 


iinix 

gtist- 

JJiit 

most 

rapi<l 

SOIUK 

tak'iii< 
dcten- 
was  s 
statioi 
hiddin 
of  the 
ilaroh 
allowei 
uas  pe 
'  •'(!  a  1 
the  toil 
etflirts  ( 
The 
action, 
[all  loos 
idcckck 
I  was  at  1 
[first  ma 
f  Jnlin's, 

iCK).      Oi 

Isecoiid  ( 
(hot  eniri 
[senior   ( 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


45 


from 

IS  heia 

storm 

raired 

clouds 

iiy,  and 

luer   as 

^o  vast 

wl.al" 


iiii])((l(l('(l  in  tliG  vory  heart  of  it,  tliat  tlio  fiercest 
jriists  iianlly  j)r(Hlucc(l  a  tremor  in  her  miglity  frame, 
liiif  presently  the  pack  began  to  break  up  at  tiie  edge 
most  fully  exposed  to  the  storm.  Witii  surprising 
rapidity  Hoc  afler  floe  was  detached,  with  a  report  tliat 
sounded  thriiliiigly  like  thunder,  each  floe  in  its  turn 
taking  up  the  part  of  battering  ram  against  the  inert 
defenseless  pack,  until  at  leugtii  the  whole  (icld 
was  shattered  into  fragments,  which,  now  no  longer 
stationary,  tossed  and  tumbled  'ea-clessly  at  the 
bidding  of  the  storm.  It  was  then  that  tlie  real  p(>ril 
of  the ''Narwhal"  began.  Captain  Marling  wanted 
Harold  to  remain  below,  but  ho  begged  so  hard  to  be 
allowed  to  stay  on  the  bridge  beside  his  father  that  he 
was  permitted  to  have  his  own  way.  From  there  he 
'  -id  a  full  view  of  the  struggle  now  going  on  between 
the  toices  of  nature  in  their  destructive  fury,  and  the 
etforts  of  man  to  cope  with  them. 

The  steamer  had  been,  so  to  speak,  prepared  for 
aetion.  Her  hatches  had  been  battened  down  secin*ely, 
all  loose  ropes  coiled  snugly  in  their  places,  and  the 
deck  cleared  of  everything  not  needed.  Every  man 
M'as  at  his  post.  On  the  bridge  were  the  captain,  the 
first  mate,  and  one  of  the  sealers  who  had  joined  at  St. 
I  Jnhn's,  often  conferring  toirether  as  to  the  best  thinir  to 
do.  On  the  poop  were  the  second  mate  and  the 
pecoiul  engineer,  the  latter  having  come  up  from  the 
hot  engine  room  for  a  breath  of  cooler  air  while  his 
senior  ofHcer   took    Ids    place   below,    while   in   the 


46 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES, 


'i 


M 


waist  of  the  sliip  and  at  the  bo\v,  the  men  were 
gathered  in  little  groups,  awaiting  llicir  captain's 
coinmar.d.       .  ' 

As  bravely  and  obediently  as  though  she  were  a 
thing  of  life,  did  the  gallant  steamer  struggle  on  ward. 
Harold,  hugging  tightly  the  rail  of  the  bridge,  a  heavy 
tarpaidin  hat  tied  fast  upon  his  head,  and  a  thick  oil- 
skin coat  protecting  his  body,  hardly  knew  whether 
terror  or  fascination  had  most  control  of  him,  and  the 
scene  before  him  was  cei-tainly  well  calcidated  to 
inspire  boy  or  man  with  both  emotions  to  no  small 
degree. 

The  storm  had  now  reached  its  height.  The  furious 
wind  turned  the  tight-strained  rigging  into  a  huge 
aeolian  harp,  and  played  upon  it  tunes  that  sounded 
like  the  wild  wails  of  tortured  spirits.  The  steamer 
groaned  through  every  timber  as  she  rose  and  plunged 
in  the  mighty  waves.  But  grandest  and  most  terrible 
of  all  were  the  ice-floes ;  some  large  enough  to  have 
borne  the  "Narwhal"  upon  their  backs  as  lightly  as  a  i 
powerful  horse  does  its  rider:  others  no  bigger  than 
one  of  the  whale  boats  hanging  in  the  davits.  They 
were  fully  five  feet  thick,  of  hard  Arctic  ice — a  por- 
tion of  Jack  Frost's  last  winter's  crop;  and  driven  hv 
the  impetuous  wind,  they  tossed  about  on  the  tunuilt- 
uous  waves,  crashing  into  one  another  with  spli uteri ii<: 
collision,  or  battering  the  steamer's  ironclad  hull  wiiii  'f' 
dull  booming  shocks  that  made  her  tremble  from  stem 
to  stern. 


Tl 


SIOIIS 

(lama_< 
cliargi 
crept 
was    1 
iniglit 
coidd 
much 
but  wl 
be  rerp 
Fine 
Harold 
out  a 
iiad  no 
ills   du 
lioldiiio; 
deb'ght( 
come  he 
Patsy 
nestled 
could  Jo 
ii),ir  and 

"it 
awe-stru 
"  Fait 
iw  just 
akogethc 
ot',  and  J 


UP   AMO^-G   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


47 


were 
tain's 

ere  a 
waixi. 
iieavv 
k  oii- 
leilicr 
id  I  lie 
ed  to 
small 


The  keenest  vigilance  was  recjiiired  to  avoid  colli- 
sions wiih  iinnien.se  tloes  that  might  have  done  serious 
(lamago,  or  to  elude  the  fatal  nip  of  icy  moii.sters 
ciiarging  madly  upon  one  another.  The  steward 
crept  cantiously  up  on  deck  to  announce  that  dinner 
wa-^  ready,  but  nobody  heeded  him.  Tlie  dinner 
might  wait,  but  the  storm  would  not,  and  no  man 
could  be  spared  from  his  post.  Not  that  there  was 
nuich  to  do,  save  to  look  on  at  the  tremendous  conflict; 
but  who  could  tell  when  the  best  efforts  of  all  might 
he  recpiired? 

Finding  the  wind  unbearable  on  the  exposed  bridge, 
JIarold  made  his  way  back  to  the  poop,  and  sought 
otit  a  hheltered  nook  beside  the  mizzen-mast.  He 
had  not  been  there  long,  before  Patsy,  relieved  from 
his  duties  below,  came  creeping  along  the  decks, 
holding  fast  to  whatever  was  at  hand,  and  Harold, 
(ieligiited  to  see  him,  called  out :  "  Patsy  !  Patsy  ! 
collie  here  ! " 

Patsv  at  once  steered  tow^ard  him,  and  the  two  bovs 
ne-tlcd  sociably  together  in  their  corner,  whence  they 
could  look  out  upon  the  storm,  and  listen  to  the  grind- 
ing and  crashing  of  the  ice-floes. 

"It  is  dreadful.  Patsy,  isn't  it?"  said  Harold,  in 
awe-struck  tones.     "  I'm  so  afraid,  aren't  vou?" 

"Faith,  it  is  a  bad  storm,  Master  Harold,  and  that 
ice  just  looks  as  if  it  was  acliin'  to  smash  ns  up 
altogether,"  rejilied  Patsy;  "but  we'll  be  taken  care 
of,  and  Fm  not  afraid."  t 


m 


48 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


"Just  think,  tlioiigli,  Patsyj  if  one  of  those  bi;^ 
cakes  of  ice  was  to  make  a  hole  in  the  steamer's  side 
a'.u]  siie  was  to  sink,  what  would  become  of  us  tlien? 
AV^e  couhlii't  take  to  tlie  boats,  and  we'd  just  liave  to 
drown,"  went  on  Harohl,  wlio  felt  disposed  *  take 
ratlier  a  gloomy  view  of  the  situation. 

"  Arrah,  now  !  don't  voii  be  thinkiuij:  of  that  at  all !" 
returned  Patsy,  putting  on  a  bright  smile.  "Sure, 
nothin'  of  tlie  kind's  goin'  to  happen  at  all ;  the 
steamer's  too  strong  for  any  piece  of  ice  to  make  a 
hole  in  her." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Harold,  shaking 
his  head  doubtfully;  "I've  read  of  it  happening,  in 
the  books." 

"  Was  it  only  in  tlie  books  it  happened  ?  "  retorted 
Patsy,  who  seemed  determined  to  be  cheerful.  '•  Then 
sure,  we  needn't  bother  ourselves  about  it,  for  it's  nut 
in  the  books  we  are." 

While  they  were  sj)eaking,  Frank  Lewis  came 
along  the  deck,  and  noticing  the  boys  in  the  corner, 
approached  them,  saying :  "  Well,  boy.s,  don't  yuu 
wish  you  were  safe  at  home  again  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  do,  sir,"  answered  Harold. 

"Faith,  then,  and  I  don't,"  cried  Patsy.  "I'd 
rather  be  on  board  this  steamer  in  the  biofirest  storm 
that  ever  was  than  bo  at  mv  home  airain." 

Lewis  smiled  at  the  speaker,  understanding  well  his 
meaning.  "  You  know  when  vou're  well  olf,  don't 
you.  Patsy  ?  " 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


49 


"I  think  I  do,  sir;  and  I'm  well  pleased  to  slay, 
stunn  or  no  atorm." 

Tiie  afternoon  wore  away  without  any  apparent 
ahateineiit  in  the  violence  of  tiie  if-Aii  or  the  cinantitv 
«t'  tiie  ice,  and  with  ap[)roach  of  niglit,  anxiety  on 
board  tlie  "Narwhal"  increased.  The  steamer  had 
so  far  stood  the  ordeal  splendidly.  The  pumps  had 
been  frequently  sounded,  but  no  sii^n  of  a  leak  was 
(li-fcovered.  The  engines  had  been  doing  their  work  as 
sniootidv  and  steadily  as  though  there  were  no  storm, 
and  bovond  some  sliirlit  breakages  in  the  saloon  and 
paiury,  no  damage  had  been  reported. 

All  this  had  been  made  possible  only  by  the  exer- 
cise of  the  utmost  care  and  skill  on  the  part  of  the 
{':i|)rain  and  his  assistants.  So  admirable  was  Captain 
Marling's  seamanship,  that  even  Peter  Strum  Jiardly 
vt-iuurcd  a  suirLTestion.  All  da\'  long  he  liad  stood 
ii|)un  tlie  bi'idge,  watching  every  movement  of  his  gal- 
lant ship,  and  of  the  ice  that  seemed  to  be  conspiring 
fur  her  destruction.  Just  before  dark  he  left  his  post 
for  a  few  minutes  to  snatdi  a  hurried  bite  of  food,  ami 
then  retin-ned  there  to  spend  the  rest  of  the  night. 

At  supper  time  those  who  could  be  spared  from  the 
deck  gathered  at  the  tal)le,  Jlarold,  in  spite  of  his 
iMieasiness,  finding  iiimself  with  a  keen  ap})ctite. 
They  were  just  in  the  midst  of  their  meal,  when 
tiiere  v,as  a  lieavy  concussion  under  the  stiiimer's 
stern.  The  proj)eller  seemed  to  ceas(!  its  revolu- 
tiuns  for  an  instant,  and  then  start  again  with  a  rush. 


m 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


:  S 


But,  clearly  enough,  there  was  something  wrong. 
Instead  of  running  with  the  regularity  witii  whicli  it 
liad  been  running  all  day,  its  jerlcy,  spasmodic  action 
told  only  too  plainly  tiiat  serious  damage  had  been 
done  in  some  way. 

The  chief  engineer  sprang  from  the  table  with  a 
troubled  face,  and  hastened  off  to  the  engine  room. 
Frank  Lewis  hurried  on  deck,  while  the  sursj:eon  and 
Harold  remained  in  the  saloon,  anxiouslv  awaiting  an 
explanation  of  what  had  happened.  Wi)at  seemed  a 
long  time  to  them  passed  without  any  one  appearing, 
and  Dr.  Linton  was  just  about  to  go  up  on  declc,  when 
Lewis  ran  down  to  get  something  from  the  cabin. 

"Hello,  Lewis,  what's  happened?"  cried  Dr. 
Linton. 

"A  pretty  bad  business,"  replied  Lewis,  who-e 
countenance  showed  mucli  concern.  "  The  propeller's 
broken." 

"  Propeller  broken  !  "  exclaimed  the  doctor.  "  How 
do  you  mean  ?     Broken  right  off  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no ;  not  so  bad  as  that,"  answered  tlie  mate, 
unable  to  restrain  a  smile.  "  But  one  blade  must  be 
gone,  anyway ;  and  we  can't  tell  till  morning  what 
other  damage  has  been  done." 

Harold's  heart  sank  witliin  liim  at  these  words,  and 
Dr.  Linton  looked  verv  irrave.  There  was,  indeed, 
plenty  of  cause  for  gnat  anxiety.  The  situation  of 
the  steamer  was  perilous  in  the  extreme.  To  have 
faced  such  a  gale  with  everytliing  in  order  would  iiavo 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


51 


Dr. 

ho.>e 
Uer's    I 

|Ho\V 

1st  be 

IwhiU    • 


heon  task  onoiiy;h  duriiifr;  the  loiiu:  liours  of  darkness. 
But  to  struggle  with  tempest  and  darkness  together 
when  in  a  semi-disabled  condition  !  Little  wonder 
it'  Cai)tain  Marling's  well-bronzed  countenance  took 
on  a  haggard  look  that  did  not  seem  at  all  natural, 
and  it'  Peter  Strum  was  overheaid  continuallv  niut- 
tering  unintelligible  things,  tliat  may,  perhaps,  have 
been  prayers,  as  the  anxious  night  wore  slowly  away. 


[,  and 
dec<l, 


In  «)[ 

i1kiv( 

bav< 


CHAPTER  V. 


AT  NACHVAK. 


■ 


THE  ffrav  morniiifr  clawned  witli  linirerino;  rclno- 
tanco,  and  found  tlie  "Narwhal"  still  struirgHng 
stonily  and  snccessfnllv  witii  her  bosettinix  diinixcrs. 
As  the  light  grow  stronger,  Captain  Marling,  to  his 
gi'eat  joy,  discovered  that  the  ice  pack  no  longer  cov- 
ered the  sea  as  far  as  eye  coidd  reach  ;  but  that  off  to 
the  noi-thwest  clear  water  could  be  di.^covered.  More- 
over, the  storm  had  certainly  decreased  in  violence,  and 
tiie  outlook  was  altogether  more  hopeful. 

"  We'll  soon  be  out  of  misciiief,  Peter.  We  ought 
to  make  that  clear  water  in  the  course  of  an  hour," 
said  he,  in  a  cheerful  tone,  to  the  old  mate. 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir,  it's  all  right.  But  we've  had  a  hard 
night  of  it,"  responded  Strum,  with  the  semblance  of 
a  smile. 

Within  the  hour  the  open  water  was  safely  reached, 

and  all  danger  from  the  sea  became  a  thing  of  tlu 

past.     The  wind   contimicd   to  go  down  during  die 

morning,  and  j)reparations  Mere  made  to  repair  the 

j)ropeller.      This  woidd  be  no  easy  task.      Captain 

INIarling  was,   of  course,  too   wise  a  seaman  to  start 

upon  such  a  vovage  without  taking  the  ])recaution  to 

provide  himself  with  some  spare  blades  for  the  screw, 
52 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FI-OES. 


63 


flit 

) 

ird 
of 

tlu 

le 

ho 

lin 

art 

to 


but  it  was  one  tliins:  to  liav^e  tlicm  stowed  snuti-lv  on 
board,  and  aiiotlier  to  prit  them  into  u>«e. 

Harold  watched  tiie  proceedings  with  intense  inter- 
'pM  est,  and  a  constant  shower  of  (jnestions.  80  soon  as 
the  wind  had  snfficicntly  abated,  and  tiie  sea  become 
less  tnrbulent,  a  lioisting  gear  was  arraiiired  at  the 
stern.  Then,  under  the  direction  of  the  chief  engineer, 
the  hnge  heavy  screw  was  s]owiy  lifted  from  its  phice, 
1  I  and,  with  many  a  '•  lieave-lio"  and  "easy  now," 
sw  ung  up  on  the  deck,  wiiere  the  damage  done  to  it 
at  once  became  ap{)arent. 

One  of  the  blades  had  been  broken  short  off,  and  it 
was  a  wonder  to  all  that  it  had  served  its  purpose  so 
well  as  it  had  durino;  the  dark  liours  of  danger.  Two 
lutnrs  of  hard  work  and  a  new  blade  restored  the 
screw  to  its  original  condition.  Less  than  halt*  tiiat 
time  was  sufficient  to  replace  it  at  the  stern;  and  then, 
with  everybody  on  board  feeling  that  a  great  l)nrden 
ll  had  ))een  lifled  from  them,  and  that  they  had  glad 
licarts  and  free,  the  "  Xarwhal  "  Ment  bounding  over 
the  waters,  steering  directly  for  Hudson's  Straits. 

So  soon  as  this  had  been  siiccessfidly  accomj)lislied, 
( ai)tain  Marling,  thoioiighly  tired  out,  went  down  to 
his  cabin  for  the  rest  he  so  greatly  needed,  and  did  not 
appear  again  until  supper  time.  Then  he  came  out  in 
excellent  htimor,  and  had  many  qnesti(jns  to  ask  of 
Harold,  who  was  in  close  attendance  upon  him. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  a  sailor's  life  now,  Hal? 
Not  much  fiui  about  it  in  a  s^torm,  is  there  ?  '* 


H 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


"  No,  indeed,  f-ir,"  replied  Harold,  promptly.  "  I'm 
mighty  glad  the  storm  is  over,  and  hope  there  won't 
be  another  in  a  hurry." 

"  There's  no  telling,  Hal.  There's  no  telling,"  said 
the  captain,  shaking  his  head.  "  Plenty  of  storms 
up  in  these  regions.  Perhaps,"  he  addt^l,  with  a  sly 
looic  at  his  j?on,  ''  you  wish  you  were  back  in  Haliliix 
again." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  sir,"  pi'otested  Harold.  "  I  was  a 
little  frightened  Inst  night,  but  I'm  all  right  now,  and 
it'll  take  more  to  frighten  me  next  time." 

"  That's  a  good  way  of  looking  at  it,  Hal,"  said  the 
caj)tain,  with  an  approving  smile.  '•  Just  keep  along 
tiiat  line,  and  you'll  soon  get  as  hard  to  scare  as  old 
Peter  himself." 

Harold  blushed  with  pleasure  at  his  father's  et)m- 
mendation,  and  firmly  resolved  in  his  mind  that  he 
would  keep  along  that  line,  and  that  even  though  he 
should  never  become  quite  as  hard  to  scare  as  old 
Strum,  who  seemed  to  be  made  of  sole  leather,  he  was 
so  tough,  still  he  would  follow  liis  example  closely. 

The  ''Narwhal,"  under  a  full  head  of  steam,  and 
with  every  stitch  of  canvas  set,  made  great  headway 
northward  during  the  day.  Tlie  little  ice  that  there 
was  scjittered  over  the  face  of  the  ocean  offered  no 
opposition  to  her  progress,  and  ere  the  sun  sank  to 
rest  behind  tlie  lofty  cliffs  that  liiieil  the  shore,  slie  had 
cast  anchor  at  Nachvak'  Bay.  Then  Ca[)tain  ]Marling 
intended  to  procure,  if  possible,  an  Esquimau,  who 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


55 


might  acpompnny   him    for    the    remainder   of    the 
vi)\afi;o  as  interpreter. 

Harold  was  hiirhly  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  a 
run  on  shore,  especially  as  it  wonld  probably  afford 
him  his  first  glimpse  of  a  genuine  Esquimau,  and  long 
before  the  steamer  came  to  anchor  he  had  obtained 
j)ermission  from  his  father  to  accompany  him  when 
he  went  on  land.  This  the  captain  did  not  do  that 
evening,  as  it  was  almost  dark  before  the  "Narwhal" 
was  anchored  to  his  satisfaction,  consequently  Harold 
had  to  restrain  his  impatience  as  best  he  might  until 
morning.  They  had  a  visitor,  however,  whose  coming 
in  some  measure  consoled  him — namely,  the  chief 
liKJtur  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  post,  which 
gives  to  Nachvak  what  little  importance  it  possesses. 

This  gentleman,  who  might  be  said  to  have  been 
monarch  of  all  he  surveyed,  for  certainly  his  right 
there  were  none  to  dispute,  the  gentle  Esquimaux  be- 
ing entirely  subject  to  him,  proved  to  be  a  stout,  full- 
bearded  Scotchman  of  about  middle  age,  with  the 
manner  of  one  accustomed  to  do  and  say  pretty  much 
what  he  pleased.  He  came  out  in  his  boat  just  about 
(lark,  and,  despite  his  important  bearing,  Harold 
tiiought  him  of  little  interest  in  comparison  with  the 
quartet  of  oarsmen  that  composed  his  crew.  These 
Avcre  unusually  fine  specimens  of  Esquimaux — four 
short,  squat,  dark-skinned,  black- haired,  brown-eyed, 
flat-nosed  individuals,  who  seemed  to  be  very  princes 
of  good  humor.    There  was  not  a  line  of  care  or  hint 


56 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


U 


:    i 


H 


of  temper  on  their  fat  faces,  and  wlion,  having  socnred 
tlje  boat,  tiiey  chuiibered  awkwardly,  but  fearlessly, 
up  the  rope  ladder  at  the  "Narwhal's"  side  and  stood 
in  a  little  group  upon  the  deck,  Harold  thouglit  them 
the  verv  oddest-lookina;  fellows  he  had  ever  seen. 

He  at  once  went  up  to  them,  and  was  not  a  little 
proud  to  find  himself  almost  a  head  above  the  talle.>t 
of  the  four. 

"  Good-morning.  Glad  to  see  you,"  said  he,  in  his 
most  gracious  manner. 

The  Esquimaux  grinned  broadly,  and  after  looking 
at  one  another  said  something  together  that  was  evi- 
dently intended  as  a  reply  to  the  salutation,  but  just 
what  it  was  Harold  couhl  not,  for  the  life  of  him, 
make  out. 

"Can  you  talk  English?"  he  asked. 

The  dusky  visitors  grinned  again,  and,  after  another 
look  at  each  other,  shook  their  heads. 

"  That's  a  pity,"  said  Harold,  "  for  I  certainly  can't 
speak  your  language." 

Suddenly  a  happy  thought  struck  him.  Though 
they  couldn't  talk,  they  undoubtedly  could  eat,  so 
bidding  them  "stay  there,  he  wouhl  be  back  in  a 
second,"  he  darted  off  to  the  saloon,  and  presently  re- 
appeared bearing  a  plateful  of  biscuits.  He  could 
not  have  made  a  better  choice.  The  moment  the 
Esquimaux  saw  the  biscuits  their  eyes  gleamed  with 
delight,  their  grin  extended  well-nigh  from  ear  to  ear, 
and  as  soon  as  the  plate  was  within  reach  they  siraul- 


fi: 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-Fl.OES. 


57 


tnncously  made  a  grab  at  it,  witli  the  result  that  sev- 
eral biscuits  were  knocked  oif  tlie  plate  to  the  deck, 
where  they  serainhlcd  for  tiiein  with  all  the  eagerness 
of  street  arabs  scranii)ling'  for  pennies. 

Harold  laui^hed  heartily  at  their  naive  manners, 
and  Patsy  appearing  at  this  moment,  he  called  him 
over  to  share  in  the  amusement.  Their  eager  scramb- 
ling for  the  biscuits  had  given  him  an  idea,  which  he 
forthwith  proceeded  to  put  into  execution.  AVitli- 
diawing  a  little  way  from  the  Esquimaux,  who  were 
still  standing  by  the  bulwarks,  he  held  up  a  biscuit, 
and  calling  out,  ''  Here!  Catch  !  The  first  man  that 
gets  it,  keeps  it,"  threw  it  into  tlu^r  midst. 

Not  for  an  instant  did  the  natives  hesitate.  Thev 
may  never  have  phiyed  that  sort  of  game  before,  but 
they  knew  exactly  what  to  do,  all  the  same,  and  with 
the  agility  of  four  expert  football  players,  they  made 
a  dive  for  this  biscuit.  The  struirijle  that  ensued  was 
very  funny,  and  the  two  boys  laughed  until  their  sides 
ached  as  biscuit  after  biscuit  was  thrown  with  the 
same  result,  the  Esquimaux  thoroughly  entering  into 
the  spirit  of  the  thing,  and  manifesting  the  utmost 
good  humor.  Nor  were  the  boys  the  only  spectators. 
The  entire  crew  soon  turned  out  to  witness  the  sport, 
and  were  joined  by  the  second  mate  and  surgeon,  so 
tliat  when  Captain  Marling  came  up  on  deck  with  the 
factor,  he  foimd  a  noisy  crowd  gathered  amidships, 
which  he  quietly  joined,  and,  with  his  visitor,  enjoyed 
the  fun  as  much  as  the  others. 


58 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Harold  had  just  despatclied  Patsy  for  a  fresh 
supply  of  biscuits,  and  the  excitcim-iit  was  at  its 
height.  Tos.siiig  tlie  biscuit  into  tlic  air  lie  would 
shout:  "Now,  tlien — jump  for  it!"  and  jump  for 
it  the  four  fat  "Huskies"  would,  knockiug  the  bis- 
cuit on  the  deck  and  rolling  over  one  anotiier  in  their 
eagerness  to  get  it.  The  one  wiio  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing the  prize  would  then  stuff  it  into  the  capacious 
bosom  of  his  shirt,  and  be  ready  for  a  fresh  struggle. 

]5y  the  time  the  second  supply  of  biscuits  was  ex- 
hausted the  factor  wished  to  return  to  the  shore,  and 
in  vast  good  humor  his  swarthy  oarsmen  took  their 
leave  of  the  white  visitors  wiio  had  treated  tlieni  so 
handsomely. 

The  following  morning  proved  gloriously  fine,  and 
Captain  Marling  immediately  after  breakfast  ordered 
his  gig  to  be  put  in  the  water  that  he  might  be  rowed 
ashore  in  state  to  return  the  factor's  visit.  Harold, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  accompanied  him,  donning  his 
best  shore-going  clothes  for  the  occasion,  and  in  high 
spirits  at  the  prospect  of  a  run  on  dry  land  ;  for  if  it 
must  be  told,  he  had  already  begun  to  find  ^he  con- 
finement of  shipboard  life  not  a  lit*^'^  ?'  ^some,  and  a 
change,  however  brief,  was  wondt  welcome. 

Nachvak  could  not  boast  of  m,  -  lions  wherewith 
to  entertain  its  visitors.  Half  a  do/en  low,  strong 
wooden  buildings,  gathered  into  a  sort  of  square,  con- 
stituted the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  post,  and  besides 
that,  at  a  little  distance  off,  a  cluster  of  the  picturesque- 


UP    AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


69 


looking  skin  tents  in  wliicli  the  Esquimaux  live  tliiriiig 
the  liot  months  of  their  brief  .summer  were  the  only 
si<rn.s  of  human  liubiiation.  Of  vegetation,  excei)t  .>ome 
scanty  pateiies  of  moss  and  lichen,  tliere  was  none, 
except  tiiat  here  anil  tliere  in  sunny-slieltered  nooks 
tiny  green  leaves  might  be  found  thrusting  their  way 
through  tiie  unpropitious  soil. 

The  factor — who  rejoiced,  by  the  way,  in  the  good 
Scotch  name  of  Donald  McTavish — greeted  his  visitors 
very  cordially,  and  escorted  them  at  once  to  his  quar- 
ters, where  Plarold  had  the  opportimity  of  going  about 
on  his  own  account,  while  the  elders  partook  of  some 
ref'resiunent  in  the  factor's  be.st  parlor.  He  was  soon 
an  ()l)joct  of  lively  interest  to  a  group  of  Esquimaux 
ciiildren,  who  followed  him  about  like  a  pack  of  dogs, 
watching  his  every  movement  and  chatting  to  one  an- 
other. They  kept  at  a  very  respectful  distance,  and 
Harold,  wishing  to  be  friendly,  made  several  attempts 
to  overcome  this  reserve  ;  but  his  efforts  resulting  only 
in  a  very  sudtlen  and  complete  scattering  of  his  dusky 
followers,  he  gave  it  up  as  a  bad  job. 

Presently,  however,  he  had  better  fortune,  for  after 
lie  had  made  the  rounds  of  the  post,  looking  into  the 
storehouses,  now  filled  with  furs  awaiting  the  comiiiij 
of  tlie  annual  ship,  and  taking  a  peep  at  the  men's 
quarters,  which  seemed  i-ather  close  and  stuffy  abodes 
for  summer  time,  although  no  doubt  just  the  right 
thinir  for  the  bitter  davs  of  midwinter,  he  went  over 
to  the  Esquimaux  village.  He  no  sooner  approached  it 


GO 


UP    AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


i\ 


I ' 


tliaii  a  fat  little  mail  came  toward  him,  crnnning  from 
ear  to  ear,  whom  Harold,  with  some  little  difHciilty, 
recoiiiiized  a?  one  of  the  factor's  boatmen.  He  Avas 
very  j^lad  indeed  to  see  him,  and  holding  out  his  haiul, 
gave  him  a  cordial  "Good-morniiig." 

The  Esquimau  looked  at  the  oulstretohcd  hand  as 
thougii  he  expected  to  see  something  in  it.  Tiicu 
finding  it  was  empty,  lie  took  hold  of  it  in  botii  of 
his  and  pressed  it  to  liis  bosom.  He  was  a  jolly  look- 
ing little  man,  quite  three  inciies  shorter  than  Harold, 
but  considerably  broader,  and  the  boy  could  not  help 
thinkinij  to  himself  that  if  it  came  to  a  hand-to-hand 
struggle,  the  '^  Huskie  "  might  prove  a  very  tough  cus- 
tomer. Harold  wished,  very  much  that  he  had  taken 
some  lessons  in  the  Esquimaux  language  before  coming 
up  North,  for  it  did  seem  so  stupid  to  be  standing 
there  vis-a-vis  with  this  2)1  easant- faced  native,  and  to 
all  appearance  trying  to  out-do  him  in  griiming. 

One  can  always  fall  ba(;k  upon  the  sign  language, 
however,  so  pointing  at  the  cluster  of  tents,  Harold 
called  out  loudly,  as  if  his  hearer  was  somewhat  deaf: 
"  I'd  like  to  see  your  tents.  Come  along  and  show 
them  to  me." 

Whereat  the  Esquimau  enlarged  his  smile  by  way  of 
indicating  that  he  understood,  and  at  once  waddled  off 
toward  the  tents,  with  Harold  following  close  in  iiis 
wake.  There  were  about  twentv  tents  irathereJ 
together  in  an  irregular  group,  and  made  apparemly 
of  very  poor  pan'iimcut,  the  actual   material   being 


Huile : 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


61 


IV  of 

olF 
ills 

|n;ly 

Mill! 


ul  10 


sealskin,  with  the  hair  carefully  scraped  off.  Each 
tent  was  the  abode  of  a  family,  and  with  an  air  of 
con.-cioiis  pride,  ilarolcrs  guide  eonducteil  him  to  the 
C(ine  of  yellow  eriidcled  .skin  of  wiiich  he  was  the 
lord  and  master.  It  was  about  the  same  size  as  an 
ordinary  Indian  wigwam,  and  put  together  in  much 
the  same  way  ;  long,  thin  pieces  of  driftwood  formed 
the  ribs,  and  a  row  of  heavy  stones  was  placed 
around  the  bottom  fringe,  to  make  it  secure  against 
the  frequent  assanlts  of  the  wind.  Hardly  liad 
Harold  peeped  into  the  tent,  tlian  he  backed  out  again 
with  a  celerity  which  suggested  that  something  had 
seared  him.  But  it  was  not  his  heart  that  failed  him. 
It  was  something  much  less  poetic.  It  was  liis  stom- 
ach. For  there,  right  at  his  feet  as  he  entered,  on 
cither  side  of  the  narrow  doorway  was  the  Esquimau's 
lardei" — two  great  piles  of  seal  meat  and  blubber,  as 
repulsive  looking  a  sight  as  it  is  possible  to  conceive, 
r.nd  uiving  forth  an  odor  that  surelv  onlv  a  native, 
educated  to  it  from  childhood,  could  endiu-e  for  one 
inunicnt.  Either  the  sight  or  the  stench  would  have 
ht  ( n  quite  enough  for  Harold,  but  togetlier  they  were 
siinplv  overwhelminir,  and  turning  awav  lie  liastened 
out  of  the  encampment  in  the  direction  of  the  shore. 

His  guide  hurried  after  him  with  a  very  puzzled 
cxprc-sion  on  his  fat,  dirty  face,  aiid  seemed  quite 
relieved  when  Harold,  having  by  a  gnat  effort  over- 
come his  internal  dissensions,  said,  with  a  reassuring 
smile  : 


/     ^ : 


>'? 


62 


UP  AMONG  THR   ICE-FLOES. 


', 


"  Oh,  it's  all  right !  Made  me  feel  a  little  seasick, 
that's  ail." 

The  "Hiiskie,"  of  course,  could  not  understand  the 
words,  but  the  speaker's  tone  and  expres-iou  made  it 
clear  to  him  that  he  was  not  offended,  and  that  was 
sufficient.  Harold  continued  his  progress  toward  tlio 
shore,  for  he  had  noticed  a  couple  of  kayaks,  or  E-s- 
quiniaux  boats,  drawn  up  on  the  beach,  and  he  was 
anxious  to  examine  them  closelv.  He  had  read  much 
about  these  curious  little  boats,  which  are,  to  the  dusky 
dwellers  in  the  regicm  of  eternal  ice,  what  the  birch- 
bark  canoe  is  to  the  red  man  of  the  forest.  He  had 
seen  many  pictures  of  them,  an<l  now  he  was  to  seo 
the  thing  itself. 

There  were  two  kayaks  drawn  up  side  by  side,  and 
on  Harold  showing  his  interest  in  them,  his  new- 
found friend  at  once  indicated  bv  sinns  that  the  larijer 
and  better  one  of  the  two  was  his  own  property.  Ik 
dint  of  much  gesticulation,  Harold  made  him  under- 
stand that  he  would  like  to  see  how  the  skiif  was  man- 
aged, whereupon  the  "Huskie"  ran  back  to  his  tent 
for  his  paddle,  and  then  launciiing  the  kayak,  got  care- 
fully in,  and  with  sure,  strong  strokes,  sent  it  leapinu: 
swifily  over  the  still  surface  of  the  harbor.  He  was 
evidently  a  most  expert  kayaker,  and  as  the  boy 
watched  him  darting  hither  and  thither,  spinniii,^ 
round  with  almost  startling:  suddenness,  and  seemiii<r 
more  like  some  huge  water  bird  than  an  awkward  hit 
of    humanity,  he    thought    he    had   never   seen   ^o 


deliir' 


UP  AMONG  TUE   ICE-FLOES. 


63 


delightful  a  mctliod  of  navigation,  and  he  was  (letor- 
niiiied  to  trv  it  for  liimself.  Accordinixlv,  he  beckoned 
to  the  Esquimau  to  come  in,  and  when  he  luid  done  so, 
indicated  to  him  by  signs  that  lie  would  like  the  loan 
of  ids  kayak  for  a  few  minutes.  The  Esquimau  de- 
murred at  first,  whether  because  he  was  afraid  of  some 
accident  happening  to  the  kayak  or  the  boy,  it  is 
iiiq)Osriible  to  say.  But  Harold  was  not  to  be  denied. 
He  had  managed  birch-bark  canoes  and  wooden  "  Rob 
Hoys"  successfully  at  home,  and  he  could  surely  get 
on  all  right  enough  with  a  kavak. 

After  mucli  persuasion  the  Esquimau  gave  a  reluc- 
tant consent ;  and,  throwing  off  his  coat  and  boots, 
Harold,  in  great  glee,  prepared  for  his  experiment. 
The  kayak  was  launched  again,  and  brougiit  along- 
side a  big  stone,  where  the  owner  held  it  while  UaroKl 
stepped  in  gingerly,  and  stowed  his  legs  away  under 
the  tiny  skin  deck.  He  was  then  handed  the  paddle, 
and,  with  a  strong  shove,  sent  out  into  deep  water. 
No  sooner  was  he  thus  committed  ,  his  own  resources 
than  he  began  to  regret  his  rashness ;  for,  of  all  the 
cianky  crafts  that  he  had  ever  tried,  nothing  compared 
witii  this  kayak.  It  seemed  to  have  but  one  oltjecr, 
and  that  was,  to  npset.  Only  by  the  givatest  car(», 
and  constant  use  of  the  paddle  as  a  balancing  pole, 
could  he  keep  right  side  up.  His  progress,  it  need 
iiardlv  be  said,  was  exi^eediui^lv  slow.  Yet  he  did 
stiocced  in  irottino;  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
shore,  when  he  thought  he  had  better  turn. 


64 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


!  i 


Captain  Marling  had  by  tiiis  time  concluded  liis 
visit,  and  was  retnrning  to  iiis  gig,  when  lie  cauglit 
sight  of  Harold  crawling  tremblingly  over  the  calm 
water  iu  the  kayak. 

"  Ju.st  look  at  that  young  rascal  ! "  he  exclaimed, 
turning  to  the  factor.  "  Tliat's  just  like  him — always 
doing  .something  rash.     He's  not  afraid  of  anything." 

^'  He's  doing  very  well  for  a  first  attempt,  as  1  sup- 
pose it  is,"  said  Mr.  McTavi-h.  "But  see!  He's 
trvinc:  to  turn.  I'm  afraid  he'll  fimi  it  a  ticklish 
operation." 

"Be  careful,  there,  Hal!"  sliouted  tlie  captain,  in 
stentorian  tones,  as  he  saw  the  bov's  danirer. 

.])Ut  the  warninsx  came  too  late.  In  his  efforts  to 
right  about  face  Harold  unhappily  missed  a  stroke 
with  the  paddle,  and  instantly  iiis  cranky  craft  caji- 
sizcd,  taking  its  occupant  (hnvn  with  it;  for  he  could 
not  disengage  ids  legs  from  the  narrow  space  in  which 
he  had  been  sitting.  To  the  captain's  iiorror,  nothing 
was  to  be  seen  but  the  wet  bottom  of  the  kayak  glit- 
tering in  the  sunshine. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ON  THE  TRACK  OF  HENRY  HUDSON. 

WITH  a  tremendous  shout  of  "  Man  the  boat ! 
Get  to  your  places  ! "  Captain  Marling  bounded 
toward  the  gig,  sprang  in  over  the  bow,  and,  reaching 
the  stern,  grasped  the  rudder  lines,  while  the  men 
tumbled  hai^tily  into  their  seats  ;  and  the  factor,  put- 
ting forth  all  his  strength,  pushed  the  boat  from  the 
beach  out  into  deep  water. 

"  Now,  then,  pull  for  your  lives  ! "  cried  the  captain. 

The  men  needed  no  urging.  They  loved  their  cap- 
tain, who  was  as  kind  and  just  as  he  was  strict ;  and 
they  loved  his  son,  whose  bright,  manly  face  was 
alwavs  welcome  in  their  forecastle,  when  he  came  to 
listen  to  them  spinning  yarns,  and,  very  probably, 
bringing  with  him  some  dainty  from  tlie  captain's 
tal)le.  With  stalwart  strokes  they  sent  the  swift  gig 
over  the  smooth  water  toward  the  spot  where  the 
curved  bottom  of  tlie  upturned  kayak  showed  above 
the  surface  like  the  back  of  a  porpoise  at  rest. 

When  first  upset,  the  ligiit  skitf  could  be  seen  moving 
in  a  way  that  showed  tiie  boy  imprisoned  beneath  was 
struggling  hard  to  free  himself.  But  ere  the  gig  got 
more  tlian  half-way  to  it,  the  motion  altogether  ceased; 
and  the  captain  noticing  this,  cried  hoarsely  to  his 

E  65 


f:m 


UP   AMOxVG   THE   ICE-FIiOES. 


rowers:  "Pull,  men,  pull,  or  it  will  be  all  over  wlih 
the  boy!'' 

If  it  were  possible  to  put  forth  any  more  strength 
than  tiiey  were  already  doiiiir,  the  men  did  it;  and 
with  six  tremendous  strokes  sent  the  boat  flying  to  the 
side  of  the  upturned  kayak. 

"Easy  all!  Easy  now!"  cried  Captain  Marling. 
"Stand  by  to  help  !"  And  he  sprang  into  the  bow 
of  the  gig  as  it  ran  up  alongside  the  kayak. 

"Now,  then,  lift  there."  And  he  grasped  one  end 
of  the  light  skiff,  while  a  sailor  seized  the  other. 
They  quickly  turned  the  treacherous  craft  over,  to  find 
poor  Harold  lying  lifelessly  underneath. 

"God  help  us  !  Can  he  be  dead?"  cried  the  cap- 
tain, in  tones  of  agony,  as  he  lifted  the  limp  form  of 
his  boy  into  the  boat,  and  pressed  his  hand  against 
his  face,  which  was  ominously  white  and  cold. 

"He's  just  lost  his  breath.  He'll  be  all  right,  sir," 
said  one  of  the  men,  reassuringly. 

"  Pull  for  the  ship  as  hard  as  you  can.  Give  way 
now  with  all  your  might,"  the  captain  shouted,  droj)- 
ping  down  upon  the  stern  sheets  with  Harold's  body 
in  his  arms.  The  men  rowed  their  best,  and  the  "Nar- 
whal "  was  quickly  reached,  Harold  being  at  once 
taken  to  the  saloon,  wiiere  he  was  stretched  out  upon 
the  table,  and  restorative  measures  promptly  applied 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  liinton.  For  a  time  it 
seemed  as  thous^h  all  efforts  would  be  unavailinu^ 
The  water  into  which  he  had  been  upset  was  deadly 


m 


: 


never 


UP   AMOXG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


67 


rold,  .111(1  liad  almost  instantly  diilled  liim  to  the 
luiirt ;  and  thougli  he  had  been  less  tlian  a  minute 
actually  immersed,  the  time  was  long  enough  to  bring 
him  ver}'  near  to  death. 

Presently,  however,  under  the  skillful  handling  of 
the  doctor,  signs  of  life  began  to  make  themselves 
apparent.  A  faint  tinge  came  into  the  pale  cheeks, 
and  steadily  deepened  ;  the  eyelids  fluttered  as  thougli 
they  were  striving  to  open,  and  a  gentle  sigh  was 
breathed  from  the  lips  that  had  seemed  as  though  they 
Mould  never  move  again.  At  the  end  of  an  hour's 
unremitting  effort  he  opened  his  eyes  widely,  looked 
about  him  at  the  group  of  anxious  faces  around  as  if 
lie  would  like  very  much  to  know  what  all  the  fuss 
was  al)out,  and  then  fell  asleep  again. 

"He's  all  right!"  exclaimed  Dr.  Linton,  joyfully. 
''Danger's  over.  Let's  put  him  snugly  in  his  own 
bunk,  and  by  to-morrow  morning  he'll  be  not  a  bit 
the  worse  for  it." 

"  God  be  praised  ! "  said  the  captain,  reverently.  "  I 
never  knew  how  precious  my  boy  was  to  me  until 
now."  And  bending  over  Harold,  the  big  man  kissed 
him  again  and  again  with  almost  womanly  tenderness. 

One  of  the  most  intensely  interested  spectators,  of  all 
these  pn^ceedings  had  been  Patsy  Kehoe.  He  knew 
nothing  of  Harold's  mishap  until  his  unconscious 
form  was  lifted  gently  on  board  ;  but  when  he  saw 
his  face  of  deathly  paleness,  and  his  utter  helpless- 
ness, he  sprang  at  once  to  the  worst  conclusion,  and 


£| 


68 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES, 


.!■ 


Hr 


with  an  agonized  cry  of:  "Oclionc!  ochonc !  the 
clear  vouns^  master;  is  he  dead  entirelv?  Tlie  Lord 
have  mercy  upon  liini !  " 

"Shut  up,  and  be  about  your  business,"  growled 
old  Strum,  who  was  not  disposed  to  look  upon  the 
stowaway  with  much  favor.  But  Patsy  was  not  to 
be  sent  away.  With  tlie  tears  running  down  his 
cheeks,  he  followed  the  sorrowful  precession  to  the 
cabin,  and  there  stood  beside  the  table,  swinging  his 
hands  and  saying  softly  to  himself,  ^' Tlie  Lord  iielp 
him,"  while  his  eves  watched  evervthino:  that  was 
being  done,  as  though  his  own  life  depended  upon  tiie 
success  of  the  means  employed.  AVlien  at  length 
Harold  breathed  and  opened  his  eyes,  poor  Patsy's 
glad  relief  could  not  be  suppressed,  and  taking  up  the 
b(>y's  hand,  he  covered  it  with  tears  and  kisses,  ex- 
claiming, joyfully  :  "  Sure,  he's  not  dead  at  all ;  indeed 
he's  not.     Oh,  the  dear  young  master  !" 

Even  in  the  midst  of  his  own  deep  emotions,  Cap- 
tain Marling  could  not  help  observing  Patsy's  dis- 
play of  genuine  feeling,  and  his  heart  was  touched 
bv'it. 

"  That  youngster's  got  something  good  in  him," 
said  he.     "  I'm  glad  now  I  let  him  stay  with  us." 

The  doctor's  prophecy  in  regard  to  Harold  proved 
correct.  He  spent  the  rest  of  tliat  day  in  his  berth, 
and  was  a  trifle  shaky  the  following  morning,  but 
otherwise  was  not  a  whit  the  worse  for  his  very  nar- 
row  escape  from  death.    When  he  reappeared  on  deck, 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


60 


the  "Narwhal  ".had  left  Xachvak  far  behind,  Captain 
^lai'ling  having  succeeded  in  securing  a  satisfactory 
interpreter,  and  was  now  at  the  entrance  to  llutlson 
Straits,  Aviiere  another  hard  struirsxle  with  the  ice  was 
anticipated. 

At  first  the  prospect  for  a  successful  run  seemed 
very  good,  the  field  ice  being  loose  and  rotten,  and 
permitting  the  steamer  to  plough  steadily  through  it; 
at  tiie  rate  of  from  six  to  eiijiit  knots  an  hour.  But 
as  the  day  wore  on,  the  weatlier  unfortunately  set  in 
thick,  a  dense  fog  hanging  over  the  sea,  making  it 
necessary  to  slacken  speed,  especially  as  the  appear- 
ance of  many  "  growlers  " — fragments  of  large  ice- 
bergs— hinted  broadly  at  the  proximity  of  big  bergs, 
and  made  a  sharp  lookout  imjwrative.  Steaming 
cither  at  half-speed  or  dead-slow,  the  "  Narwhal '* 
crept  cautiously  onM'ard,  the  fog  occasionally  lifting 
ami  allowins:  a  sig-lit  of  land  to  be  obtained.  It  was 
a  very  dreary  business,  particularly  when,  as  happened 
more  than  once,  it  was  foinid  advisable  to  tie  up  to  a 
huge  floe,  and  resign  all  idea  of  progress  for  the  time. 
One  such  floe  was  three  hundred  yards  long  by  two 
hundred  yards  wide,  and  at  least  twelve  feet  thick, 
a  perfect  island  of  ice,  which  woidd  have  carried  the 
"  Xarwhal,"  solid  and  heavy  as  she  was,  on  its  broad, 
white  back  as  easilv  as  a  feather's  weight. 

The  two  sealers  whom  lie  had  taken  on  at  St.  John's 
being  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  locality,  and  the 
peculiar  kind  of  navigation  the  steamer  was  now  ex- 


70 


UP   AMOXG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


i 


t 


perlencing,  Ciiptain  Marling  put  the  ship  in  their 
cluirge,  and  allowed  hinisolt'  more  leisure  than  he  had 
done  since  the  commencement  of  the  vovaijre.  This 
wa3  pleasing  to  Harold,  who  was  never  so  happy  as 
when  in  his  father's  company,  and  the  captain  took 
the  opportunity  to  tell  him  something  about  the 
famous  bay  toward  which  they  were  directing  their 
course. 

"  H  you  could  only  see,  my  boy,  the  kind  of  ships 
in  which  the  first  Englishmen  sailed  across  the  ocean 
to  discover  tiiis  continent,  you  would  just  set  them 
right  down  for  lunatics.  Why  the  '  Discoverie,'  in 
which  Henry  Hudson  had  the  pluck  to  push  his  way 
throudi  all  the  ice  and  fo<>;  and  other  dantjers  of  these 
straits  into  the  heart  of  the  bi";  bav  bevond,  could  easilv 
stand  on  the  'Narwhal's'  deck  and  yet  leave  us 
plenty  of  room  to  work  the  ship.  She  was  a  crazy 
little  crafr,  not  much  better  than  one  of  those  ballast 
hookers  that  we  laugh  at  in  Halifax  harbor,  and  yet 
in  her,  Henry  Hudson,  more  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago,  crossed  the  Atlantic,  ventured  through 
these  straits  and  made  his  way  clear  down  to  the 
southern  end  of  the  bav,  where  he  staved  all  winter. 
Poor  fellow !  he  deserved  a  better  fate  than  fell  to  his 
lot,"  added  the  captain,  musingly. 

"  Why,  father,  what  happemal  to  him?  Was  he 
frozen  to  death  in  the  winter?"  inquired  Harold, 
eagerly. 

"  Worse   than   that,  Hal ;    worse   than  that,"  an- 


swer 

ham 

to  th 

they 

lia(i 

ofth 

men 

littk 

adrlf 

seen 


UP    AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


u 


r> 


swored  tlie  captain.  "Oh,  how  I'd  like  to  liavc  my 
hands  on  tiie  .scDundrcls  !  Wouldn't  I  string  them  up 
to  the  yardarm  at  .short  notice!  You  .scf^,  Hal,  wlien 
tliev  were  on  their  wav  baelv  the  next  sunimei-,  thev 
liad  a  mutiny  on  board  the  '  Di.^coverie,'  and  the  re.^t 
of"  the  crew  forced  Captain  Hudson,  Ids  son,  and  seven 
men  who  stood  by  him,  to  get  into  a  boat  with  just  a 
little  water  and  food,  and  then  the  scoundrels  cut  them 
adrift  and  sailed  away.  Not  one  of  them  was  ever 
seen  again.  Just  fancy,  Hal,  if  the  'Narwhal's' 
crew  were  to  play  that  game  on  u.- 

"  Not  much  fear  of  that,  is  there,  father?'' an- 
swered Harold,  in  a  very  confident  tone,  yet  at  the 
same  time  drawing  nearer  to  Ids  father  and  taking 
liold  of  one  of  his  hands;  for  the  thought  of  Henry 
lludsim  with  his  young  son  adrift  in  the  merciless  ice 
in  an  open  boat  took  hold  of  his  quick  imagination, 
and  he  could  not  restrain  a  shudder,  as  he  asked  : 
"  What  do  you  think  became  of  them,  father?" 

'•  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,  Hal,"  replied  Captain 
Marling.  "  It  was  in  nudsummer  the  villains  cut 
them  adrift,  and  the  bay  would  be  full  of  floating  ice. 
Poor  fellows !  no  doubt  they  did  their  best  to  make 
the  land.  But  even  if  they  succeeded,  they  wouldn't^ 
have  been  much  better  off,  for  there  were  no  Es{[uimaux 
aloiiij  the  east  coast,  and  their  onlv  chance  would  have 
been  to  go  clear  across  the  couritry  to  Nachvak,  a 
matter  of  hundreds  of  miles,  which  of  course  was  an 
utter  impossibility." 


72 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


l\ 


n 


Tlic  gallant  disco vcrei*  of  the  great  bay  tliat  now 
bears  his  name,  and  particularly  tiie  boy  tliat  sliared 
bis  ^ad  fate,  were  often  in  Harold's  thoughts  after 
tliis,  altlionjxh  he  little  imairined  that  the  time  would 
Come  when  the  same  kind  of  villainy  that  had  suc- 
ceeded in  Hudson's  undoing  would  bring  his  father 
and  hiinself  into  deadly  peril.  ' 

On  the  fourth  day  the  fog  cleared,  the  siin  shone 
out  bright  and  warm,  the  ice  to  a  large  extent  disaj)- 
peared,  and  putting  on  a  full  head  of  steam  Captain 
!Marling  sent  the  "  Narwhui  "  along  at  a  fine  rate  of 
speed.  The  unclouded  sky,  the  pleasant  air,  the  rapid 
progress,  brought  back  everybody's  good  humor  again, 
and  hearts  Mere  liijlit  and  countenances  cheerful  as  the 
good  steamer  ploughed  swiftly  onward.  To  avoid  the 
bulk  of  the  ice  which  the  current  carries  down  from 
Jack  Frost's  fastnesses  alone;  the  southern  side  of  the 
straits  and  out  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  there  to  re- 
solve itself  back  into  its  original  water,  Captain 
Marling  coasted  the  northern  side  of  the  stiait,  and 

C7  7 

Harold  had  a  fine  oj)portunity  of  studying  an  Arctic 
landscape.  As  they  passed  along,  they  saw  hngo 
beetling  cliffs,  broken  here  and  there  by  stretches  of 
low  land,  or  rather  rocks,  the  relics  of  last  winter's 
snow  lying  in  small  patches  in  the  gullies,  while  on 
the  sunniest  slopes  of  the  hills  a  faint  tinge  of  green 
coidd  now  and  then  be  detected.  The  picture  was  a 
very  dreary  one. 

"  I  should  die  if  I  had  to  live  in  such  a  countrv  as 


i 


iw 


L'(l 


er 
1(1 
ic- 
ier 


iiie 
ip- 
lin 
of 


)Ul 


in, 


tl 


K! 


im 
he 
Ire- 
pi  11 
nd 
Itic 
go 
of 
r's 
lo)i 
Ion 


as 


I  p  Aiii'iiiL:  ilio  Ir*'  1' 


I';ig0  «: 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


73 


this,"  soliloquized  Harold.  "No  trees,  no  flowers, 
Imrdlv  anv  u;rass.  Wliv,  what  could  a  fellow  do? 
Jle  couldn't  play  cricket,  or  base  hall  or  tennis,  or 
anything  of  that  kind.  He  couldn't  go  swimming, 
for  the  water's  too  cold.  I'm  precious  glad  I  don't 
live  here,  anyway — aren't  you,  Patsy  ? "  he  added 
suildenlv  aloud,  as  he  noticcxl  Patsv  coraini»:  toward 
him  along  the  deck. 

"Whj''s  that,  Master  Harold,  if  you  please?" 
a^ked  Patsv. 

"Aren't  you  glad  you  don't  live  over  on  that  land 
fli  liic  year  round  ?" 

^'T.oth,  that  I  am,  sir,"  replied  Patsy,  fervently. 
"It's  little  liking  I  have  for  Griffintown,  but  I'm 
thiiikinix  that  same  place  is  a  mit>Iitv  siuht  better  than 
this  awful  hole.  Sure,  mv  eves  are  achiii'  for  a  bit  of 
a  tree,  and  there  isn't  so  much  as  a  leaf  in  the  whole 
place.  But  what's  that,  Master  Harold?"  Ik;  ex- 
claimed, excitedly,  grasping  Harold's  arm  and  point- 
inii;  to  the  wide  stretch  of  open  water  on  the  seaward 
side  of  the  steamer,  where  his  keen  eyes  had  detected 
a  thin  column  of  water,  like  a  fountain  in  a  flower 
garden,  rising  from  the  sea. 

Harold  looked  very  hard,  but  being  a  little  too  late, 
saw  nothing. 

"There  !  there  it  is  !"  cried  Patsy,  pointing  to  the 
spot  with  a  trembling  linger,  and  this  time  Harold 
saw  it  plainly. 

"  It  must  be  a  whale  !     Let's  call  father,"  exclaimed 


74 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


Harold,  running  to  the  head  of  the  companion  way 
and  shoutin*!^  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "  Father,  father, 
come  np  !     We  see  a  wiiale." 

Captain  jNIarling  was  in  the  cabin  consulting  some 
charts,  but  at  tiic  first  sound  of  his  son's  voice  ho 
threw  them  down  and  dashed  up  on  decic  witii  an 
agility  that  could  hardly  have  been  snrpa>sed  by 
Master  Harold  himself.  In  the  meantime  the  news 
had  become  known  to  all  on  board,  and  tlie  seaward 
bulwark  was  crowdeil  with  faces  eagerly  scanning  the 
rippled  blue  plain,  from  the  midst  of  which  the  signifi- 
cant f  )untain  had  appeared. 

"There  she  spouts  !  Tiiere  she  spouts!  "  M'ould  bo 
tiie  cry,  as  the  fountain  played  again.  The  whale, 
indeed,  seemed  to  be  doing  its  best  to  attract  attention. 
It  was  a  whale  of  the  right  kin.i,  of  medinm  size,  and 
was  coming  toward  the  ship  in  a  slanting  direction,  in 
evident  innocence  of  the  i)resence  of  those  whose  special 
mission  it  was  to  wage  war  upon  itself  and  its  kindred. 
Happily,  however,  for  this  particnlar  monster  of  the 
deep,  and  much  to  the  chagrin  of  those  on  board  the 
"  Narwhal,"  preparations  had  not  yet  been  made  to  en- 
gage in  its  pursuit ;  and  there  was  nothing  to  do  but 
look  idly  on,  and  waich  the  great  creature  flinging  its 
challenge  into  the  aii,  and  rolling  its  vast  bulk  over 
the  waves,  ji'-st  as  if  it  understood  }K'rfectly  that  the 
*'  Narwhal  "  was  not  vet  readv  to  do  it  harm. 

Fraidv  Lewis  was  anxious  to  get  out  his  rifle,  and 
see  if  it  were  possible  to  kill  the  whale  with  a  bullet, 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


75 


since  tho  harpoons  were  not  in  readiness;  hut  Captain 
Marlins^  would  not  suffer  it.  He  was  a  tender  man 
:it  iicart,  and  lie  could  not  approve  of  wiiat  would  be, 
after  ali,  a  bit  of  needless  cruelty;  for  even  tiiough 
tlic  whale  were  killed,  it  would  be  .^ure  to  sink  before 
the  gear  could  be  rigged  to  deal  with  it  properly.  So 
it  was  permiited  to  go  on  its  way  unscathed,  the  men 
watchinsj-  it  with  longing  eves,  as  turning  off  at  an 
angle,  probably  because  it  discovered  tiie  presence  of 
the  steamer,  it  went  away  down  the  strait,  giving  a 
farewell  spout  ere  it  finally  vanished. 

The  bovs  naturallv  felt  verv  i)roiid  of  having  sighted 
the  rirst  whale  ;  and  Captaii*  Marling,  by  way  of  en- 
cuui'aging  i^^uch  shar})ness  of  vision,  promised  them  a 
five-dollar  gold  piece  for  each  time  that  either  one  of 
thciii  woidd  be  the  first  to  point  out  a  "  fish."  For 
hf  it  known  that,  although  whales  are  not  really  fish 
at  ad,  but  warm-blooded  mammals,  the  whalers  will 
never  call  them  any  tiling  but  fish. 

The  appearance  of  the  whale  filled  the  "  Xarwhal  " 
with  excitement  and  bustle.  The  unexpected  difficul- 
ties encountered  on  the  passage  northward  had  delayctl 
Ciiptain  Marling  very  materially.  But  now  he  was 
determined  to  make  u[)  for  lost  time;  and  orders  flew 
thick  and  fast,  as  the  dav  drew  toward  its  clos«^  In 
fditv-eight  hoiu's  they  ought  to  be  right  in  the  midst 
of  the  whaling  ground. 


CHAPTER  Vir. 


fl 


PREPARING  FOR  ACTIOX. 

WITH  wind  and  wciitlier  fav()rable,  and  but  little 
ice  obstructing  her  progress,  the  "Narwhal" 
steamed  on  through  Hudson's  Straits,  then  through 
Fisher  Strait,  and  thence  up  into  Howe's  Welcome, 
where  Captain  JNIarling  proj)()sed  to  make  his  first 
attempt  against  the  poor  whales,  whose  only  crime 
was  their  possession  of  such  valuable  blubber  and  bone. 
On  board  ship  everything  was  at  fever  heat  of  activ- 
ity. A  great  deal  had  to  be  done  before  whaling  cuukl 
be  properly  entered  upon,  and  there  was  work  for 
evervbodv.  The  crew  of  the  "  Narwhal,'^  includinii-  the 
captain,  consisted  of  fifty  men,  some  of  whom  bore 
very  odd  titles ;  for  whalers  seem  to  have  taken  a 
good  many  of  their  business  terms  from  the  Hutch. 
There  was,  for  instance,  the  speksioneor,  the  officer 
under  whose  direction  the  whale  is  cut  up ;  the  skee- 
man,  whose  duty  it  was  to  superintend  between  declcs 
the  stowing  away  of  the  blubber  in  the  tanks  ;  and 
others  with  titles  equally  queer.  The  "  Xarwhal  "  had 
a  fine  outfit  of  eight  whale  boats,  and  there  were,  there- 
fore, eight  harpooneers,  including  the  mates  and  the 
speksioneor,  eight  bout  steerers,  including  the  skeemaii 
and  boatswain,  and  eight  line  managers,  the  duty  of 
76 


UP    AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


77 


tlie  latter  being  to  pull  the  stroke  oar  in  the  boat,  and 
to  see  that  tlie  lines  arc  coileil  away  clear,  so  that  they 
Avill  rnn  out  freely  when  a  fish  has  been  struck. 

Tlie  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  get  the  boats  out, 
thev  being  ahvavs  stowed  awav  under  deck  mitil  tiie 
wlialing  grounds  are  reached.  It  did  not  take  long  to 
have  tluni  up  on  deck,  and,  after  a  minute  examina- 
tion at  the  hands  of  the  captain  and  carpenter,  thor- 
ouglily  cleansed  from  all  dust  and  dirt.  Tliey  were 
beautiful  boats — long,  low  and  narrow,  sharp  at  bt)th 
b(Av  and  stern,  and  j)ainted  })ure  white,  with  a  broad 
crimson  stripe  a  little  below  the  gunwale.  Each  boat 
would  carry  six  men,  five  to  row  and  one  to  steer,  the 
liarpooneer  pulling  tlie  bow  oar,  and  having  command 
over  all.  The  steering  is  done,  not  by  a  rudder,  but 
by  a  long  oar  which  projects  out  over  the  sharp  stern, 
and  with  which  the  steerer  can  sweep  his  obedient  boat 
round  upon  her  track  in  one-half  the  space  in  which 
it  could  be  done  by  a  rudder. 

All  the  boats  having  been  gotten  ready,  the  crew 
next  turned  their  attention  to  ''spanning  <»n" — that  is, 
attaching  the  lines  to  the  harpoons  and  coiling  them 
away  in  the  boats.  The  bustle  reached  its  height 
over  the  operation,  for  each  boat's  crew  did  their  best 
to  have  their  craft  equipped  first,  and  the  rivalry  and 
excitement  "\vere  very  keen,  as  under  the  captain's 
watchful  and  approving  eye  they  toiled  away  like 
heavers.  Harold  had  already  attached  himself  to 
Frank  Lewis'  boat,  tuid  he  got  very  much  worked  up 


78 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOEg. 


I 


over  the  contest,  running  about  from  l)oat  to  boat  to 
see  how  the  otlier  competitors  were  getting  on,  and 
then  back  to  liis  own  to  encoui'age  its  men  by  assuring 
tlicm  tl»at  thev  were  bound  to  win. 

Tliis  was  wliat  thev  liad  to  do.  Eacli  boat  carries 
two  harpoons — a  gun  liarpoon  and  a  liand  harpoon. 
The  gun  harpoon  is  made  wliolly  of  iron,  but  the 
hand  harpoon  has  a  long  wooden  handle  that  makes 
it  look  something  like  an  old-time  spear.  To  tJic 
harpoons  is  first  fitted  the  "  forogore "  or  "  fore- 
gaugcr" — that  is,  a  piece  of  white  untarrcd  two-and- 
a-quaiter  inch  hemp  rope  from  three  to  twcve  fathoms 
lonji;,  whicli  is  much  stronijer  and  more  vielding  than 
any  ordinary  rope.  Then  to  this  foregore  the  remain- 
ing whale  lines,  of  which  there  arc  five  to  each  boar, 
are  carefully  spliced,  tlie  rcsuk  being  a  line  more  tluui 
six  hundred  fathoms  in  length,  or  a  little  over  half  ;i 
mile.  A  pretty  long  fishing  line;  but  then,  of  course, 
it  is  intended  only  for  the  biggest  kind  of  fish,  if  it 
be  right  to  call  a  whale  a  fish. 

This  mammoth  fishing  line  is  then  carefully  flaked 
dow^n  in  the  stern  sheets  in  a  compartment  made  fur 
the  purpose,  with  the  exception  of  about  one  hun- 
dred fathoms,  which  are  flaked  down  in  a  box  in  the 
centre  of  the  boat  called  the  '4breline  beck,"  and  of  the 
*' foregore,"  which  is  coiled  in  a  small  tub  or  kid  in 
the  verv  bows  of  the  boat  risiht  aloiiii-side  the  ijun. 
The  ])roper  disposition  of  the  line  is  a  matter  of  the 
highest  importance,  for  if  this  should  be  careles-ly 


in": 


UP   AMOXG    THE   ICE-FLOE? 


79 


i 


(l(Hio,  and  tlio  line  slionld  Iinppen  to  catdi  ^vl^en  the 
linrpoon  is  fa.-t  in  a  whale  and  the  monster  is  "sonnd- 
inj::" — tiiat  is,  diving  into  tlie  d(»ptlis  of  tlie  ocean — 
tiicre  is  no  telling  what  the  eonserpU'iiccs  miirlitbe; 
hut  the  ehnnces  are  ten  to  one  that  the  l)ig  whale  boat 
Mould  be  instantly  draixired  under  water  as  thony;h  it 
were  a  feather.  Consequently,  while  the  men,  in  their 
aiixietv  to  be  first  at  the  finish,  worked  with  all  tlieir 
f^pced,  yet  it  could  be  easily  seen  that  there  was  no 
actual  haste.  Xothinu;  was  slurred  over,  but  everv- 
thiufT  was  done  thorouii;hlv  :  for  might  not  their  own 
lives  pay  the  penalty  for  slighted  work?  Frank  Lewis 
aided  his  men  bv  hand  as  well  as  bv  voice,  and  thus 
working  away  together  they  got  the  lead  of  all  the 
other  boats,  Harold's  shrill  shout  of  "First — first! 
We've  finished  first!"  nresontlv  announciuir  that  the 
second  mate's  boat  had  won,  whereat  the  others 
cheered  heartily,and  offered  him  tiieir  congi-atidations  ; 
for  it  is  considered  an  omen  of  good  luck  to  have 
your  boat  readv  first. 

The  lines  having  been  satisfactorily  stowed,  the 
next  proceeding  was  to  prepare  the  whale-boat's  arma- 
ment, which  is  quite  an  extensive  one.  First  there 
were  the  two  har})0()ns — the  harpoon  gun,  which  is 
fixed  on  a  swivel  on  the  bows  so  that  it  can  be  turned 
in  any  direction,  and  tlie  hand  harpoon,  that  lies 
beside  the  gun,  the  handle  resting  on  a  '*inik"  or 
eruteh,  ready  for  immediate  use.  These  harpoons  are 
made  of  the  softest  Swedish  iron,  so  that  they  may 


80 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


readily  bciid  witliout  sna}>ping,  and  the  distortions 
thev  soniotiincs  underiro  when  in  ti.<o  are  rcallv  won- 
derl'nl.  Each  of  tlie  '•  Narwlial's"  harpoons  liad  tiie 
steamer's  name  phiinly  stamped  njion  the  shanic,  so 
that  it'tlie  wliale  slioukl  happen  to  get  away,  trailintj; 
the  broken  line  after  him,  and  they  should  liappen 
to  meet  him  airain,  there  would  he  no  diffieultv  in 
recognizing  liim.  Besides  tlie  two  harpoons,  each 
boat  carried  four  lances  for  killing  the  whale  after  it 
has  been  struck,  a  tail  knife  used  for  cutting  holes  in 
the  tail  and  fins  of  the  dead  whale,  a  hatchet  for 
severing  the  line, — should  that  be  necessary, — a  fog 
horn  for  signaling  in  event  of  being  caught  in  a 
fog,  two  boat  hooks,  two  small  buckets  for  pouring 
water  over  the  lines  Mhen  they  are  running  out  very 
fast  to  prevent  their  S(  tting  the  boat  on  fire  in  conse- 
quence of  excessive  friction,  and  a  number  of  other 
things  that  need  not  l)e  detailed. 

To  stow  all  these  thino-s  neatlv  and  securelv  awav 
in  a  small  boat,  bearing  always  in  mind  how  abso- 
lutely important  it  was,  not  only  that  everything  shoidd 
have  a  ])lace,  but  that  it  should  stay  in  that  place,  and 
not  get  in  the  way  of  the  lines,  no  matter  how  mucli 
knockinir  about  the  boat  mi<»;lit  have,  was  a  task  re- 
quiring  skill  as  well  as  care,  an<l  the  day  was  fast 
declinino;  before  all  necessarv  arrangements  were  com- 
pleted,  and  the  last  of  the  boats  had  been  made  ready 
and  swung  into  its  place  at  the  davits. 

*'  There,  now/'  said  Captain  Marling,  with  a  sigh  of 


UP  Airoxa  THE  ick-ft.oes. 


81 


gnti.sniotion,  "  woVe  only  got  to  put  up  the  crow's  nest 
and  we're  ready  for  business." 

Tiie  ptittiiisr  up  of  ilie  crow's  nest  did  not  take 
loiiL?,  it  l)L'iu<5  simply  a  larj^o  cask  wliieli  is  triced  up 
to  the  maiu-roval  mast-head,  the  lower  end  resting  on 


d  to  ti 


le 


an  iron  jaclc,  and  tlie  upper  part  l)eiu<^  l)ouu( 
mast  by  an  iron  strap.  In  tiie  bottom  is  a  «mall  trap 
liatch,  just  large  enougli  for  a  man  to  crawl  tlirouirh. 
]hi  tlien  shuts  it  down  and  standi  upon  it.  As  tiie 
crow's  nest  is  a  very  exposed,  cohl  })hice,  it  is  lined 
widi  furs  to  protect  its  occupant;  and  so  long  as  the 
vessel  is  on  tiie  fishing  groun<],  the  cask  has  always 
somebody  in  it  during  tiie  day,  sweeping  the  sea  with 
his  telescope  in  search  of  signs  of  whales. 

Xo  sooner  had  the  crow's  nest  been  hung  up  on 
liiiili  than  Harold  was  possessed  with  a  wild  ambition 
to  u;et  into  it.  As  it  was  nearing  dusk,  Lewis  tried  to 
(iis-uade  him,  saying  that  it  would  l)e  a  better  time  in 
tiu!  morning.  But  Harold  was  not  to  be  ))nt  oif,  so 
hi-  father  making  no  objection,  he  proceeded  to  run  up 
the  rigging  until  he  reached  the  cask,  and  then  found 
little  difficulty  in  shoving  up  the  hatch  and  creeping 
tiiiotigh  to  the  inside. 

"  Hurrah,  boys  !  This  is  the  place  forme!"  he 
cried  triumphantly,  as  from  his  cosy  citadel  he  looked 
down  upon  the  deck  beneath,  where  the  men  were 
still  movintr  busilv  about.  It  was  a  verv  interesting: 
picture  that  lay  spread  out  before  him.  Right  under- 
luaih  was  the  noble  steamer,  cuttincr  her  wav  tiiroujxh 


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Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y    14580 

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82 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


the  blue  water,  already  settling  down  for  its  night's 
rest ;  and  so  smooth  was  lier  progress,  that  Harold 
could  faintly  feel  the  tlirob  of  her  engines,  even  up  in 
liis  lofty  eyrie.  Far  away  to  the  right,  a  dim  dark 
line  siiowed  where  the  land  broke  the  otherwise  clear 
horizon,  and  here  and  there  level  patches  of  white,  or 
tall  fantastic  forms  indicated  the  presence  of  the  ice, 
which  is  indeed  never  entirely  absent  from  these  quar- 
ters. So  widely  scattered  was  this  ice  as  to  offer  no 
obstacle  to  the  progress  of  the  **  Narwhal,"  and  at  the 
rate  the  steamer  was  now  going  she  ouglit  to  reach 
Rowe's  Welcome  by  sunrise. 

Seeing  Patsy  emerging  from  tiie  companion  way, 
Harold  hailed  him  with  a  loud  "Hello,  Patsy  !  how 
is  this  for  high?"  Avhich  made  the  boy  look  up  in  a 
puzzled  way,  for  he  had  been  below  while  the  crow's 
nest  was  being  put  in  position,  and  so  knew  nothing 
about  it;  but  he  had  no  difficulty  in  making  out  who 
called  him,  and  shouted  back,  "Well  done.  Master 
Harold  !     What's  the  weather  like  up  there?" 

"  Splendid  I  "  replied  Harold.  "  Won't  you  come 
up  ?     Come  along  !  " 

Now  Patsy  was  even  more  expert  in  the  rigging 
than  Harold,  and  it  seemed  but  a  few  seconds  before 
he  reached  the  bottom  of  the  cask  and  knocked  for 
admittance;  on  attempting  to  join  Harold  inside, 
however,  he  found  himself  somewiiat  at  a  ioss. 
Harold  was  standing  upon  the  little  trap  door, 
which  could  not  therefore  be  opened,  and  there  was  nut 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


83 


room  enouiih  in  the  crow's  nest  for  him  to  stand  aside 
and  allow  the  trap  to  be  pushed  up.  Aa'':e-  consult- 
ing together  awhile,  the  boys  iiit  upon  a  plan  which 
successfidly  met  the  difficulty.  Harold  climbed  up 
to  the  top  of  the  cask  and  sat  upon  the  edge,  holding 
on  by  the  tips  of  the  mast,  which  projected  a  little 
(listmce  beyond  it,  and  then,  the  coast  being  clear, 
Patsy  had  no  difficulty  in  effecting  an  entrance,  so 
that  in  a  moment  or  two  the  boys  were  standing 
together  in  the  crow's  nest. 

It  was,  of  course,  pretty  close  quarters,  but  they 
did  not  mind  that.  They  had  the  same  delightful 
sensation  as  is  experienced  by  travelei*s  who  have  ac- 
complished the  ascent  of  some  lofty  mountain  peak, 
and  they  promised  themselves  frequent  trips  to  this 
exalted  position.  The  sea  had  by  this  time  fallen  into 
almost  complete  calm,  and  although  tlie  dusk  was  draw- 
ing nearer,  they  could  see  a  good  distance  from  the 
steamer.  They  were,  of  course,  sharply  on  the  look- 
out for  whales,  and  erelong  their  search  was  rewarded 
by  the  discovery  of  something  large  and  black  swim- 
ming rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  "Narwhal." 
Instantly  they  raised  the  cry  of  "  A  whale!  a  whale! 
we  see  a  whale!"  and  Lewis,  who  was  at  this  time 
walking  the  quarter  deck,  it  being  evening  watch, 
shouted  back  to  them  eagerly  :  "  Where  is  he?  Point 
liim  out." 

"There!  there!"  replied    Harold,   indicating  the 
spot  with  his  outstretched  arm,  while  Lewis  brought 


W:u: 


84 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


liis  gla^s  to  bear  upon  it.  Lewis  looked  long  and  care- 
fully, and  then  callinij  to  him  one  of  the  men  tiiev 
liad  taken  on  board  at  St.  John's,  asked  him  to  look. 
Then  tiiev  had  a  siiort  consultation  toy-etiicr,  the  bovs 
watching  them  impatiently,  and  wondering  why  orders 
Tvere  not  given  for  the  boats  to  be  lowered  riglit 
away.  But  evidently  no  such  orders  were  to  be  given, 
for  shaking  their  heads  in  a  way  tliat  implied  it  was 
not  necessary  to  do  auytliing,  tiie  men  parted,  and 
Lewis  called  up  to  Harold:  "Only  a  bottle- nose, 
Hal !     Not  worth  going  after." 

"Onlva  bottle-nose?"  exclaimed  Harold,  turninsj 
inquiringly  to  Patsy.     "Wliat  does  he  mean?" 

"  Faith,  I  don't  know,"  replied  Patsy.  "  But,  I'm 
thinking  that  if  I  don't  get  back  to  my  work,  the 
steward  will  be  after  me  witli  a  stick."  And  so  saying, 
the  activ^e  little  chap  dropped  down  througli  the  hatch, 
and  made  his  way  to  the  deck,  with  the  ease  of  a 
monkey  in  his  native  woods. 

Plarold  intended  to  follow  him  at  once,  but  a  move- 
ment on  the  water  near  the  ship  attracted  his  attention, 
and  he  lingered  on  until  at  length  darkness  closed 
around  him,  and  Lewis  shouting  up  to  him,  "Say, 
Hal ;  are  you  going  to  stay  up  there  much  longer? 
Hadn't  you  better  come  down?"  he  prepared  to 
return  to  the  deck. 

No  sooner  had  he  started  than  he  began  to  regret 
liaving  postponed  his  descent  so  long.  It  was 
easy  enough  gottting  into  the  crow's  nest  iu  broad 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


85 


daylight,  but  it  was  a  very  different  matter  get- 
ting out  of  it  again  in  tlie  dark.  Lifting  up  the 
hatoii,  he  cautiously  dropped  his  fect  tiirough,  and 
felt  around  for  the  firat  rung  of  the  ladder  beneath. 
But  somehow  or  other,  he  seemed  unable  to  find  it. 
AftCi  several  unavailing  efforts,  he  drew  himself  back 
into  the  cask,  feeling  not  a  little  nervous.  His  chief 
difficulty  was  that  he  had  to  hold  the  trap  up  while 
crawling  through,  and  it  was  a  pretty  heavy  affair, 
being  almost  the  full  size  of  the  bottom  of  the  Ciisk, 
and  strongly  put  together.  He  felt  very  much  in- 
clined to  call  to  Lewis  to  come  up  and  iielp  him  out 
of  his  difficulty.  But  against  this  his  pride  rebelled. 
Patsy  had  gotten  down  all  right,  why  shouldn't  he  ? 
He  would  try  again.  Moving  vjry  carefully,  he  once 
more  dropped  through,  holding  to  the  cask  with  his 
right  hand,  and  holding  up  the  trap  with  his  left. 
After  feeling  around  for  a  moment,  and  stretching  his 
leg  out  as  far  as  it  could  go,  he  succeeded  in  touching 
the  ladder  rung,  and  with  a  thrill  of  relief  dropped 
upon  it.  But  as  ill-luck  would  have  it,  his  foot 
slipped  off  the  rung,  the  whole  weight  of  his  body 
came  upon  his  right  arm,  and  instinctively  he  let  go 
the  trap  that  was  held  up  by  his  left,  and  grasped  the 
bottom  of  the  cask  with  both  hands.  The  heavy 
hatch  thus  released,  fell  at  once,  striking  him  a  ciuel 
blow  upon  the  top  of  the  head,  and  forcing  ids  head 
down  between  his  shoulders.  The  blow  was  very 
severe,  and  but  for  the  soft,  thick  cap,  that  partially 


86 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


i: 

^               ;|i|i 

1           i 

; 

il 

[     1 

i                      1 

1 

protected  liis  skull,  it  would  certainly  have  stunned  the 
boy.  As  it  was,  it  made  him  feel  giddy  and  faint, 
and  only  by  that  supreme  effort  which  imminent  dan- 
ger can  ciiU  foiih,  was  he  able  to  retain  his  hold  and 
save  himself  from  being  daslied  to  the  deck.  More 
than  this  he  could  not  do,  and  in  tliat  perilous  position 
he  hung,  realizing  his  danger,  but  powerless  to  rescue 
himself  from  it,  while  he  heard,  as  in  a  dream,  Lewis' 
voice  calling  up  from  below,  "  What  are  you  about 
up  there,  Hal?  Going  to  stay  all  night?  Come 
down,  or  your  father  will  think  something's  happened 
to  you." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


AMONG  THE  MONSTERS. 


HAROLD'S  long  delay  in  coming  down  from  the 
crow's  nes'j  made  Lewis  feel  somewhat  anxious, 
and  when  there  was  no  response  to  his  call,  he  thought 
it  best  to  go  up  at  once,  and  see  what  was  the  matter. 
Accordingly,  he  hastened  up  tie  rigging  with  the  ease 
of  a  well-trained  sailor,  and  the  fii'st  thing  he  knew 
his  face  came  in  contact  with  a  pair  of  heels,  that 
dangled  downward  in  a  very  stmnge  fashion. 

"Good  heavens!  what's  the  meaning  of  this?"  he 
exclaimed,  feeling  about  to  find  out  where  the  rest  of 
Harold's  body  was.  "  What's  the  matter  with  you, 
Hal  ?  "  he  cried  out. 

"I'm  caught  here,  and  I  can't  move,"  answered 
Harold,  faintly. 

"  Oh,  is  that  all,"  replied  Lewis,  in  a  tone  of  relief. 
"  I'll  soon  let  you  loose.  Just  hold  on  a  minute 
longer."  Then  looking  downward  into  the  abyss  of 
darkness  below,  he  shouted :   "  Ahoy !  on  deck  there !" 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir ! "  answered  one  of  the  watch. 

"  Just  bring  me  up  a  lantern  here,  and  look  sharp 
about  it,"  commanded  Lewis. 

The  man  hastened  to  obey,  and  in  a  few  momenta 
the  welcome  light  came  swinging  up  the  mast.     It  at 

87 


I? 


88 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Iliiil^ 


ouce  made  the  situation  clear,  and  wliile  the  sailor 
lield  it,  Lewis  had  nu  difficulty  in  extricating  Harold 
from  his  perilous  position,  and  as  the  boy  was  already 
recovering  from  the  effects  of  the  blow,  the  descent  lo 
the  deck  was  easily  accomplished. 

"  That  was  a  funny  sort  of  a  scrai)e  for  you  to  get 
into,"  said  the  second  mate,  when  they  were  on  firm 
planks  again.     "  How  on  earth  did  you  manage  it?" 

Harold  described  just  how  it  happened. 

*•  Humph  ! "  said  Lewis.  "  We  must  have  that 
hatch  fixed  so  that  it  will  stav  up  when  anvbodv's 
climbing  in  or  getting  out.  We  can't  have  it  playing 
pranks  like  that." 

Captain  Marling  looked  a  little  grave  at  first  when 
Harold  told  him  of  his  adventure ;  but  when  after  a 
careful  examination  of  the  boy's  head  by  the  surgeon, 
no  further  injury  than  a  big  bump  was  discovered,  and 
Harold  assured  him  that  he  was  really  all  right  now, 
his  countenance  cleared,  as  he  said  : 

"  Oh,  well ;  you  can't  learn  to  be  a  sailor,  and  espe- 
cially a  whaler,  without  taking  plenty  of  hard  knocks, 
my  boy,  so  we  won't  say  anything  more  about  this 
one.  And  now  to  bed,  Hal ;  there'll  be  plenty  to  do  ami 
see  to-morrow,  if  fortune  favors  us." 

The  prospects  were  bright  when  Captain  Marling 
came  on  deck  next  morning,  and  he  looked  the  very 
picture  of  good  humor  as  he  moved  briskly  about, 
making  sure  that  everything  was  in  perftct  readiness 
to  go  in  chase  of  the  first  cetacean  that  might  come 


TW^ 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


89 


intosiglit.  Tlie  "Narwlial"  was  moving  at  a  moder- 
ate speed  through  the  wide  waters  of  Howe's  Welcome. 
Tlie  day  was  clear,  and  not  too  warm.  The  wind 
played  gently  over  the  blue  plain,  which  was  dotted 
licre  and  there  with  floes  and  frajrments  of  ice  that 
otlered  no  obstacle  whatever  to  the  steamer's  advance. 
A  more  auspicious  day  could  not  have  been  desired, 
and  every  heart  on  board  beat  liigh  with  hope.  Aloft 
in  the  crow's  nest  one  of  the  Newfoundlanders,  glass 
iu  hand,  scanned  the  sea  carefully,  while  those  on  deck 
looked  up  at  liim  every  moment,  impatiently  awaiting 
the  signal  that  their  prey  was  iu  sight. 

In  this  way  the  morning  hours  jMtssed,  and  still  the 
occupant  of  the  crow's  nest  kept  silence,  until  those 
below  began  to  grow  weary  and  restless.  The  engines 
were  no  lonsrer  used,  as  the  slightest  noise  made  bv 
the  screw,  or,  in  fact,  by  anything  under  water,  would 
be  sure  to  scare  the  wary  and  watchful  whale,  were  he 
ill  the  neighborhood.  But  with  plenty  of  canvas  set, 
the  "Narwhal"  bowled  along,  tacking  hither  and 
tliitherso  as  to  cover  as  much  of  the  fishing  ground  as 
possible. 

At  length,  as  noon  drew  near,  the  long-awaited  and 
welcome  cry  of  "  A  fish  !  A  fish  ! "  came  down  from 
the  lookout ;  and  instantlv  all  was  excitement  on 
board.  The  maintopsail  was  backed,  and  two  bo^ts 
quickly  lowered  and  sent  in  chase.  The  second  mate's 
was  one  of  the  two,  and  Harold  begged  very  hard  to 
be  allowed  to  go  in  it.     But  his  father  thought  he  had 


:<, '  -I 


F^ 


II' 


90 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


better  stay  on  board ;  so  he  had  to  be  content  to 
watch  the  proceedings  from  the  crosstrec,  into  wliicli 
he  climbed  iia  soon  as  tlie  boats  left  the  ship. 

Pulling  with  all  their  might,  the  sinewy  oarsmen 
sent  their  graceful  boats  leaping  over  the  waves  toward 
the  whale,  which  was  in  full  sight,  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from  the  ship.  Before  they 
M'ere  half-way  to  it  the  monster  sank,  causing  Harold 
to  utter  a  groan  of  disappointment.  But  tiie  men  in 
the  boats  knew  better;  and,  spreading  out  so  as  to 
cover  plenty  of  ground,  they  rowed  on  more  slowly, 
awaiting  the  whale's  reappearance.  The  minutes 
passed  while  everybody  fairly  trembled  with  excite- 
ment ;  and  then,  at  last,  the  black,  rounded  mass  of 
the  whale's  back  was  seen  to  rise  close  to  the  boat  oh 
which  Frank  Lewis  was  bow  oarsman  and  harpooneer. 
The  others  held  their  breath  as  the  handsome  second 
mate  laid  his  oar  fore  and  aft,  and  rose  to  handle  his 
gun.  Quick,  yet  cautious,  was  every  movement.  Tiie 
great  musket  was  pointed  at  its  mighty  target.  For 
an  instant  Lewis  glanced  along  the  barrel ;  then  tlieie 
came  a  flash,  a  puff  of  smoke,  a  moment  of  intense 
anxiety,  followed  by  a  joyful  cry  from  the  crow's  nest 
of  "  A  fall !  A  fall ! "  that  was  echoed  from  the  suc- 
cessful boat,  making  it  beyond  doubt  that  Frank  Lewis 
was  fast  to  a  fish. 

Immediately  the  steamer's  deck  was  alive  with  men, 
all  frantically  shouting,  "A  fall!  A  fall  I  "—that 
being  the  whaler's  term  to  designate  a  harpooneer's 


m 


UP  AMONG  THE   1CE-PI.OE8. 


91 


success  in  striking  his  imgegunic —  and  rusiiing  to  the 
boats,  to  make  ready  for  instant  departure. 

Captain  Marling  ordered  four  more  boats  to  l)e  low- 
ered, instructing  tliem  to  s^pread  out  in  different  direc- 
tions, so  tbat  some  one  of  them  might  be  near  the 
wiiale  when  it  rose  to  blow,  it  having,  as  usual, 
"  sounded  "  the  moment  it  received  the  keen  har(K>on. 
Tiie  mpidity  with  which  his  orders  were  carried  out 
spoke  volumes  for  the  discipline  prevailing  on  board 
hi.s  sin'p.  Each  man  knew  his  boat,  and  his  place  in 
that  boat.  There  was  the  liveliest  possible  bustle,  but 
no  confusion.  Splash !  splash  I  splash !  splash  I  and 
one  after  another  the  four  graceful  boats  were  dropped 
from  the  davits. 

"  Stand  to  your  oars  I  Give  way ! "  cried  tiieir 
captain.  And  off  they  went  in  the  direction  of  Lewis' 
boat,  upon  which  the  "jack'' — the  flag — was  now 
flying,  in  token  of  his  success.  Spreading  out  widely, 
tlieir  harpooneer?  kept  a  diligent  lookout  for  the  mon- 
stci  below,  while  the  boat  that  had  started  at  the  same 
time  as  the  second  mate's  drew  up  alongside  of  her,  in 
order  to  bend  on  its  lines,  should  that  be  necessary. 

"There  she  blows  !"  cried  the  men  in  one  of  the 
boats  presently.  And,  sure  enough,  the  whale  rose 
suddenly  to  the  surface,  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
away,  and  sent  up  into  the  air  a  fountain  of  water 
whose  reddish  tinge  showed  that  Lewis'  harpoon  had 
reached  a  vital  part;  and  then,  no  doubt  becoming 
aware  of  the  presence  of  the  boats,  it  dived  into  the 


fiii 


i 


-f 


•1 


82 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


deptlis  again,  tlie  lines  running  out  at  a  rate  that  made 
the  boliurd  hca<i  .siuulve. 

"  Confound  her  !  She's  making  for  tiio  ice!"  ex- 
claimed Lewis,  in  tones  of  mingled  apprehension  and 
irritation,  as  the  movement  of  the  lines  showed  that, 
after  sinking  to  a  certain  depth,  the  fitricken  monster 
had  turned  in  the  direction  of  an  immense  ice  })ack  that 
lay  to  the  northward,  and  was  hastening  toward  this 
shelter  at  railway  speed.  A  turn  was  now  taken  in 
the  line,  so  that  instead  of  rnntiing  out  it  held  fa.st, 
towing  the  boat  along,  with  her  bow  almost  on  a  level 
with  the  water.  Hatchet  in  hand,  the  second  mate 
stood  ready  to  sever  the  tightly-stranded  rope  the  in- 
stant it  threatened  to  drag  the  boat  under  altogether. 
Tiie  other  boats  followed  as  l)est  they  could,  and  pres- 
ently they  were  all  brought  to  a  stop  by  reaching  the 
edge  of  the  pack,  under  which  the  whale  had  dived, 
inteuiling,  no  doubt,  to  come  up  again  iu  the  first  water 
space  it  could  discover. 

As  luck  would  have  it,  the  breeze  that  had  been  sligiit 
all  the  morning  now  freshened  considerably,  causing 
the  heavy  floes  which  formed  the  outer  edge  of  the 
pack  to  tumble  about  in  a  way  that  was  full  of  danger 
to  the  frail  boats,  which  woidd  be  crushed  like  eirsr- 
shells  were  the  ice  to  nip  them.  So  severely  were 
they  being  handled  by  the  floes,  some  of  which  were 
drawing  over  twenty  feet  of  water,  that  grave  fears 
were  entertained  for  their  safety,  and  on  more  than 
one  occasion  they  were  only  saved  from  being  crushed 


r';HW 


i'!' 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


93 


by  tlie  prompt   action   of  tlic  crew,  wlio,  jumping 
liastily  out,  would  Imul  tljem  up  on  tlie  ioe. 

Observing  tbeir  danger,  Captain  Marling  having 
already  steam  up  on  the  "Narwhal,"  pushed  her  into 
the  midst  of  the  loose  heaving  pack,  and  with  no  little 
(iifficulty  picked  up  the  boats,  one  after  the  other,  the 
last  being  the  boat  that  was  fast  to  the  fish,  from 
-.vhich,  by  dint  of  considerable  trouble, — for  the  wh'  i ) 
was  still  taking  the  line, — the  lino  was  transferiod  to 
tlic  steamer.  No  iejss  ihan  ten  lines,  ortvelve  hundred 
fathoms — th  I  is,  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  of  rope 
— had  been  run  out  by  this  time,  and  the  captain  began 
to  feel  anxious  lest,  owing  to  the  bothersome  ice,  not 
only  the  prize,  but  a  good  part  of  these  precious  lines 
would  be  lost  also. 

However,  it  was  no  time  for  despair,  and,  hoping  for 
the  l)€-st,  all  hands  manned  the  line,  even  Harold  and 
Patsy  lending  their  young  strength,  determined  to  bring 
the  fish  home,  pull  away  the  line,  or  draw  the  hai- 
poon.  Everybody  did  his  best,  for  was  there  not  a 
prize  worth  five  thousand  dollars  at  least  at  the  other 
end  of  the  line?  And  had  not  the  captain  promised 
to  share  the  proceeds  of  the  voyage  in  an  unusually 
liberal  manner  among  the  crew,  since  not  one  of  them 
was  be  omitted  in  the  division  of  the  spoils? 

Then  came  a  marvelous  exhibition  of  the  enormous 
power  of  this  leviathan  of  the  deep.  That  it  slumhl 
tow  a  light  whale  boat  along  without  diminishing  any 
of  its  speed  was  nothing  wonderfid ;  but  now  it  was 


ir  ] 


94 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


fast  to  a  powerful  steamer  of  full  six  hundred  tons, 
weighted  with  engines  and  heavy  stores,  and  yet,  so 
vast  was  it  slrengtii,  that  this  huge  mass  was  towed  at 
a  rapid  rate  througli  the  pack,  colliding  with  and 
bumping  against  the  great  floes  that  continually 
obstructed  its  progress. 

In  spite  of  the  constant  danger  from  the  ice,  the 
prospect  began  to  brighten.  Although  a  tremendous 
strain  had  been  brougjjt  to  bear  upon  the  line,  both  it 
and  the  harpoon  held;  more  than  iialf  of  it  had  been 
hauled  in,  and  the  men  Avere  singing  cheerfully,  and 
already  counting  up  their  money.  The  captain's  face 
had  lost  its  anxious  expression,  and  beamed  with  hope 
instead,  while  Frank  Lewis'  shone  with  pride  because  of 
his  good  fortune  in  being  the  first  to  get  a  fish.  Hand 
over  Irand,  yard  by  yard,  the  tough  line  came  dripping 
on  board,  as  the  big  vessel  bumped  through  the  ice  in 
the  wake  of  her  strange  tugboat.  Three- fourths  of  it  at 
least  was  now  coiled  up  safely  on  deck,  iind  the  strain 
upon  it  seemed  to  be  slackening  somewhat  as  though  the 
whale  was  beginning  to  tire  of  its  extraordinary  exer- 
tions, when  there  came  a  sudden  pause,  then  a  mighty 
rush  ;  the  line  ran  out  again  at  such  a  rate,  that,  think- 
ing to  check  it,  Lewi^  ordered  a  turn  to  be  taken 
around  the  capstan ;  the  stpamer's  s})eed  greatly  in- 
creased, when,  all  at  once,  a  great  floe  canje  ri<:lit 
across  her  path.  It  was  too  wide  to  avoid.  There  was 
no  alternative  but  to  charge  straight  upon  it.  With 
a  crash  that  sliook  her  stout  fiame  from  stem  to  stern, 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


95 


SO 


and  s€nt  Harold,  who  had  been  standing  in  the 
bow,  an  intensely  interested  spectator,  headlong  to 
the  deck, — raising  a  langli  among  the  sailors,  for  he 
was  not  hnrt  a  bit, — the  "Narwhal  "  strnek  the  floe, 
crii.-hed  throiigii  it  nearly  one-half  her  length,  and 
then  stopped  dead.  Instantly  the  line  strained  as  tight 
as  a  fiddle  string. 

*•  Ease  it !  ease  it,  for  your  lives ! "  shouted  Lewis, 
who  at  once  saw  the  danger.  But  it  was  too  late. 
There  was  a  quick,  sudden  jerk,  a  sliarp  snap.  ^Vmid 
deep  growls  of  disappointment,  the  line  fell  slack,  run- 
ning in  easily  as  the  men  once  more  began  to  haul 
upon  it.  The  liarpoon  had  drawn,  and  after  four 
hotn-s  of  plucky  fighting  against  its  human  foes,  the 
mi<i;l»tv  cetacean  had  come  off  victorious,  bearins:  with 
it  a  deep  and  painful  wound  in  token  of  the  conflict. 

The  disappointment  on  board  the  "  Narwhal "  was 
very  keen.  From  Captain  Marling  down  to  Patsy 
Kehoe,  no  one  attempted  to  disguise  his  feelings. 
Tlie  lost  whale  was  of  the  largest  size,  and  would  iiave 
been  a  very  valuable  prize ;  and  they  had  worked  so 
hiird  for  it.  But  it  was  "no  use  crying  over  spilt 
iiiilk."  The  whale  was  gone,  in  all  probability  never 
to  be  seen  again.  Yet  there  was  consolation  in  the 
fict  tliat  it  had  not  taken  any  of  the  lines  witli  it, 
ahhough  it  had  bent  and  tAvisted  the  harpoon  so  as  to 
render  it  entirely  useless. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  steamer  managed  to  extri- 
cate  herself  from  the  ice  pack  which  had  so  provok- 


96 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


i 


$m 


m\ 


ingly  interfered  with  her  pursuit  of  tlie  whale,  and 
being  once  more  put  under  canvas,  made  lier  way  into 
a  regular  biglit  formed  by  tlie  ice,  where  she  "  lay-to," 
as  it  seemed  a  very  promising  fishing  ground.  In 
both  cabin  and  forecastle  the  talk  that  evening  was  of 
nothing  but  whale.  In  the  latter  place,  the  men  were 
disposed  to  take  a  gloomy  view  of  things,  considering 
it  ill  luck  to  lose  their  first  fish  ;  but  in  the  cabin 
Captain  Marling's  habitual  cheeriness  had  by  this  time 
reasserted  itself,  and  the  prospect  was  discussed  with 
very  great  composure.  Harold,  of  course,  listened  to 
everything  that  was  said  with  open-mouthed  interest, 
asking  a  question  whenever  he  could  get  a  chance, 
Mhich,  however,  M-as  not  often,  for  the  talk  was  very 
brisk ;  while  Patsy  made  every  possible  excuse  for 
lingering  in  the  cabin,  in  order  that  lie  might  lose 
as  little  as  possible  of  what  was  being  said.  The 
Newfoundlanders,  both  of  whom  had  been  to  Rowe's 
Welcome  and  other  Northern  fishing  grounds  on  pre- 
vious occasions,  told  some  thrilling  tales  of  their 
experiences  with  whales.  According  to  their  own 
accounts,  thev  had  been  the  victims  of  about  everv 
mishap  that  could  happen  to  a  whaler.  Tiieir  boats 
had  been  smashed  into  splinters  by  a  stroke  of  the 
monster's  tail,  or  drawn  right  under  water  through 
the  line  failing  to  run  out  fast  enough,  or  been  crushe(l 
between  colliding  floes,  and  yet  they  had  come  off 
Fcathless  and  able  to  boast  of  at  least  a  dozen  whales 
apiece  as  trophies  of  their  skill  with  the  harpoon. 


W' 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


97 


Tlie  more  Harold  heard  of  this  tlie  more  it  fired  his 
ambition  to  go  out  in  one  of  tlie  boats  tlie  next  time 
a  whale  was  siglited,  and  he  plead  so  hard  for  per- 
mission, that  when  the  second  mate  camt  to  his  sup- 
port, and  promised  to  be  personally  resiwnsible  for 
him  if  allowed  to  go  in  his  boat,  Captain  Marling  at 
last  gave  away,  and  made  the  eager  boy's  heart  jump 
for  joy  by  saying:  "Very  well,  Lewis;  you  may 
take  him  with  you.  You  see  that  he  keeps  out  of 
mischief." 


«!'''l 


;iil 


ITT^ 


il 


m 
III 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  GOOD  day's  work. 

DURING  the  next  week  wlmles  were  seen  con- 
stantly, and  tlie  deck  of  the  "  Narwhal  "  was  a 
scene  of  bustle  and  excitement  from  daybreak  till 
dark,  the  whole  fleet  of  eiirht  boats  beinof  at  times  sent 
out  in  pursuit  of  the  great  creatures  that  -'lowed  them- 
selves in  tlie  distance.  But  so  far,  success  had  h^ld 
aloof.  The  whales  seemed  unusually  Avarv,  and  after 
a  hard  pull  of  two  or  three  miles  a  boat  would  get 
})criiaps  almost  within  striking  distance,  only  to  have 
its  intended  victim  make  oif  under  the  ice,  where  pur- 
suit was  impossible.  All  sailors  are  more  or  less 
superstitious,  and  if  there  is  one  class  of  them  more 
superstitious  than  any  other,  it  is  the  whaler. 

Accordingly,  they  set  themselves  diligently  to  seek 
out  the  cause  of  their  ill  luck,  and  resorted  to  maiiv 
absurd  expedients  in  their  endeavors  to  avert  the  evil 
chance.  As  one  day  followed  another  without  bring- 
ing better  fortune,  tliev  began  to  show  signs  of  depres- 
sion, causing  Captain  Marling  to  feel  as  anxious  to 
break  this  spell  of  failure  for  the  sake  of  his  men  as 
for  his  own  sake. 

At  length  the  tide  turned.  Pushing  her  way 
through  the  ice,  the  "  Narwhal "  reached  a  wide  bay 


98 


MiiataHKHtj.^ 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICF-FLOES. 


99 


or  inlet,  wliicli  was  entirely  clear  of  pack  or  floe,  and 
here  the  captain  felt  sure  there  would  be  fish  to  take. 
Two  boats  were  ordered  to  keep  "  on  bran  " — tiint  is, 
manned  and  ready  to  .stai't  off'  at  a  moment's  notice, 
the  steamer  being  brought  to  a  standstill,  and  the 
boats  drifiino^  about  in  her  immediate  neijrhborhood. 
Captaiii  Marling  himself  spent  mucli  of  his  time  in 
the  crow's  nest,  Harold  often  beinor  with  him,  as  lie 
swept  the  circle  of  his  vision  with  his  gla>s,  alert  to 
discover  the  first  sign  of  the  presence  of  wliales.  One 
fine,  clear  morning,  when  father  and  son  were  thus 
employed,  the  captain  happened  to  be  looking  due 
north,  while  Harold  was  looking  due  south,  when 
Harold  suddenly  grasped  his  arm,  and,  pulling  him 
around,  pointed  away  off",  about  thiee  miles  distant,  ex- 
claiming, breathlessly :  " Tiiere,  father  !   what's  tiiat  ?'* 

Captain  Marling  brought  his  glass  to  bear  upon  the 
spot  to  which  Harold  pointed,  and  the  moment  he 
looked,  his  face  became  radiant,  and  turning  toward 
the  boats  "  on  bran,"  lie  shouted,  joyfidly  :  "  A  fish ! 
a  fish !  a  whole  school  of  them,  right  otf  to  the  south ! 
!Make  ready  every  boat  on  board ! '' 

The  excitement  that  followed  was  indescribable. 
Every  man  on  board  the  "  Narwhal  "  was  in  motion, 
and  to  an  unj^racticcd  eye  it  might  have  seemed  a  scene 
of  hopeless  confusion.  But  this  was  not  the  case  at 
all.  Each  man  knew  his  jdace  and  his  work.  The 
confused  crowd  socm  resolved  itself  into  groups 
p^athered  about  each  boat,  and  with  a  quickness  hardly 


100 


UP  AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


'I 
III 


ill! 


credible,  the  boats  were  dropped  into  the  wnter,  the 
men  into  their  seats,  and  witli  a  hearty  "  Good  liK.'k  to 
you,  my  boys,"  they  were  off  to  meet  the  approaching 
whales. 

In  the  stern  of  the  second  mate's  boat  sat  Harold, 
scarcely  able  to  keep  his  seat  for  the  fever  of  excite- 
ment that  possessed  him.  The  instant  his  father  had 
confirmed  his  hope  that  the  black  spots  far  to  the 
south  were  iK)ssible  j)rey,  he  had  s]ij)ped  out  of  the 
crow's  nest,  and  not  missing  his  footing  this  time, 
scuttled  down  to  the  deck,  where  he  posted  himself  in 
close  proximity  to  Frank  Lewis,  determined  that  the 
boat  should  not  go  off  without  liim. 

The  whales  were  coming  directly  towaid  the  ship, 
there  being  at  least  a  dozen  of  the  monsters,  plough- 
ing their  way  through  the  water  ri}>pled  by  a  gentle 
breeze,  and  sending  up  little  fountains  from  the  blow- 
holes in  their  mighty  heads.  As  they  would  soon 
become  aware  of  the  steamer's  presence,  and  in  all 
probability  take  to  the  depths  at  once,  it  was  necessary 
to  meet  them  before  they  came  too  near,  and,  accord- 
ingly, the  men  bent  to  their  oars  with  an  energy 
that  called  for  every  ounce  of  muscle  in  their  sturdy 
frames.  Yet  not  a  woixi  was  sjioken.  Neither  did 
the  oars,  vigorously  as  they  were  being  pulled,  make 
the  slightest  soiuid  beyond  a  faint  splashing,  for  thick 
thrum  mats  lay  on  the  giniwale  between  the  thole 
pins.  These  precautions  were  necessaiy  because  of 
the  exceeding  quick  hearing  of  the  whales. 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


101 


Dividing  into  two  groups  of  four  each,  tlie  boats 
spread  out  so  as  to  allow  tlie  procession  of  wiiales  to 
pa-s  between  them,  thus  affording  tiie  best  possible 
opiwrtimities  for  attack,  and  thus  they  shot  over  the 
waves  toward  tlieir  gigantic  prey. 

Lewis'  boat  led  the  group  to  the  right,  and  Harold 
feit  as  though  he  could  hardly  breathe  as  they  drew 
neaier  and  nearer  to  the  big  fish,  without  thtir  pres- 
ence being  observed  by  them.  The  steersman  stood 
higli  in  his  place,  one  hand  grasping  tlie  great  oar,  to 
every  movement  of  which  the  swift  boat  responded 
like  a  thing  of  life,  and  the  other  keeping  time  to  the 
strokes  of  the  rowers.  A  few  minutes  more,  and  at  a 
signal  from  him,  Lewis  drew  in  his  oar,  laid  it  care- 
fully fore  and  aft,  then  turned  his  face  toward  the  bow, 
and  put  his  hands  up(m  the  harpoon  gun.  They 
were  now  almost  within  striking  distance.  A  few 
strokes  more,  and  the  critical  moment  would  come. 
The  oarsmen  strained  yet  a  little  harder;  the  boat 
fairly  leaped  over  the  water.  The  second  mate  having 
given  one  sharp  glance  along  the  line  to  make  sure 
that  all  was  clear,  pointed  the  gun  at  the  unconscious 
whale;  there  was  an  instant's  pause,  then  a  loud  report, 
and  then  the  glad  cry  of  "  A  fall !  a  fall !  "  rang  out 
ovci  the  waves,  for  Frank  Lewis'  luck  had  once  more 
asserted  itself,  and  he  was  fast  to  a  fine  big  whale. 

But  the  luck  was  not  with  him  only.  Scarcely  had 
his  shout  of  triumph  reached  the  ship,  when  it  was 
followed  by  the  same  inspiring  sound  from  others  of 


if 


m<^^ 


102 


tip  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


iiii»''i 


the  boats,  until,  before  the  school  of  terrified  wimlea 
sanU  out  of  siglit,  uo  le.^s  than  four  boats  were  fast, 
and  the  men  of  the  '*  Narwhal "  were  in  for  a  most 
exciting  and  exhausting  struggle.  This  time  the  fates 
seemed  altogether  favorable.  Tiie  bay  was  entirely 
clear  of  ice,  onlv  a  urentle  breeze  stirred  the  sur- 
face  of  the  blue  waters.  The  whale  hunters  had  the 
whole  day  before  tliem,  and  no  reason  appeared  why 
they  should  not  make  prizes  of  all  four  of  ilie  huge 
creatures  in  which  their  harpoons  were  now  fastened. 
Two  of  the  fish  were  ratlier  small,  but  the  other  two 
— one  of  them  being  Frank  Lewis' — were  of  great 
size,  and  worth,  perhaps,  almost  ten  thousand  dollars 
apiece. 

The  instant  the  whale  to  which  the  second  mate 
was  fast  felt  the  keen  harpoon  boring  into  its  vitals,  it 
threw  up  its  tail  and  dived  into  the  depths,  the  line 
running  out  at  such  a  rate  that  the  smoke  arose  in 
clouds  from  the  bollard  head,  half  shrouding  Lewis, 
who,  lance  in  hand,  stood  up  in  the  bow  ready  to  give 
his  captive  its  coup  de  grace  so  soon  as  he  could  get 
near  enough.  The  men  drew  in  their  oars,  and  the 
light  boat  fled  like  a  shadow  over  the  waters,  as  the 
stricken  monster  vainly  sought  safety  in  flight.  So 
des{)erate  was  its  efforts  to  free  itself,  that  nearly  a 
mile  of  line  was  taken  before  the  runninjj-out  ceased. 
Harold's  heart  was  palpitating  with  delight.  He 
thought  that  in  all  his  life  he  had  never  experienced 
anything  half  so  glorious  as  this,  being  towed  along 


■■P« 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


103 


at  the  speed  of  a  lightning  express  train  by  a  giant 
i\<\i.  Not  a  mite  of  fear  or  nervousness  had  he.  He 
liad  no  time  for  tliat.  The  struggle  was  too  absorb- 
ing to  allow  him  to  think  of  anything  else. 

"My!  but  this  is  grand!"  he  exclaimed  to  the 
steersman.     "I  never  had  so  mucii  fun  in  my  life." 

The  steersman  gave  him  a  pleasant  smile,  to  show 
that  lie  heard  him,  but  was  too  engrossed  in  his  work 
to  make  any  reply,  which,  however,  made  little  differ- 
ence to  Harold. 

"Take  in  line,"  called  out  Lewis;  and  with  the  speed 
and  skill  that  comes  only  from  long  practice,  the  men 
drew  in  the  dripping  line,  and  coiled  it  away  in  its 
nest,  ready  to  run  out  again  should  it  l)e  required. 
Fathom  after  fathom  it  came  swiftly  in,  until  at  least 
one-half  of  it  had  been  recovered. 

"Stand  by  now,  and  be  ready  to  give  way,"  was 
licwis'  next  order ;  and  the  men  put  their  oars  in  posi- 
tion, while  all  waited  with  bated  breath  for  the  reap- 
pearance of  the  whale,  which  must  soon  come  to  the 
surface  to  breathe.  One,  two,  three  minutes  passed, 
and  then  suddenly,  so  close  to  the  boat  that  the  com- 
motion it  caused  set  it  to  rocking,  the  huge  black,  glis- 
tening back  of  the  whale  rose  out  of  the  water,  and  a 
f^tream  of  water  deeply  dyed  with  blood  shot  up  in 
the  air. 

"  Tiiere  she  blows  !  Tliere  she  blows  !  Give  away 
on  your  left  there,  hard  1 "  shouted  Lewis,  grasping 
the  long,  keen  lance  in  his  right  hand,  and  round 


104 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES; 


i' 


I 


swept  the  boat  in  tlie  direction  he  desired.  "  Now, 
tiien,  altogether,"  he  cried  again.  The  men  bent  to 
their  ours.  The  stout  ash  blades  bent  beneath  tlie 
strain  upon  tiiem,  and  the  boat  ahuost  sprang  out  of 
the  water  in  response.  Tl  ?ee  mighty  strokes,  and 
Lewis  was  clo>e  beside  the  whale's  forefin.  For  an 
instant  the  polished  lance  flashed  in  the  sunlight,  then 
it  sank  up  to  its  hafl  in  the  sofl  flesh. 

"  Back  water,  for  your  lives ! "  shouted  the  second 
mate,  dropping  down  into  tiie  bottom  of  the  boat,  and 
the  oarsmen  sent  tlie  boat  backward.  They  did  so 
just  in  time.  Maddened  by  this  fresh  attack,  the 
whale,  lifted  its  terrible  tail  high  in  the  air,  and 
brought  it  down  with  awful  force  upon  tiie  very  spot 
where  tlie  boat  had  been  the  moment  before.  The 
spray  from  the  blow  drenched  everyone  on  board,  and 
the  boat  rocked  as  though  in  a  whirlpool. 

"  No,  you  don't,"  cried  Lewis,  joyously.  "  That 
was  a  close  shave.     But  a  miss  is  as  good  as  a  mile." 

As  if  disgusted  at  iis  failure  to  crush  its  tormentors, 
the  whale  sent  up  a  spout  that  was  nearly  all  blood 
this  time,  and  then  "sounded"  once  more.  But  evi- 
dently its  end  was  near.  The  line  did  not  run  out  at 
all  so  fast  as  before,  and  only  a  few  hundred  yards 
had  been  taken  ere  the  creature  returned  to  the  surface 
a  short  distance  from  the  boat. 

"  We've  got  our  fish  right  enough  this  time,"  said 
Lewis,  smiling  broadly.  "  We'll  just  stand  off*  until 
she  '  kicks  the  bucket.' " 


run 


mm 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES, 


105 


For  a  few  minutes  the  wliale  lay  still  upon  the  water, 
as  though  resting,  anil  tlie  tired  men  were  t;lad  to  rest 
al«o.  Then  came  the  final  flurry.  The  h>'ge  frame 
ircnibled  all  over,  the  deadly  tail  was  hi  ted  and 
brought  down  upon  tlie  water  witii  resour.Uing  blows, 
sjwut  after  spout  of  dark  heart's  blood  incarnadined 
the  sea,  and  then  all  was  still. 

"  Pull  up,  now,  men.  It's  all  over,"  ordered  Lewis, 
after  waiting  a  little  while  to  make  sure  it  was  the 
case. 

The  boat  drew  alongside  of  the  miglity  carcass,  a  hole 
was  cut  in  each  fin,  the  fin  tow  ])assed  through  them, 
and  the  big  fins  lashed  tight  to  the  sides,  so  as  to  offer 
no  obstruction  to  towing.  The  tail  was  then  secured 
to  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  the  prize  in  tliis  manner 
towed  to  the  steamer,  which,  happily,  was  not  far 
away. 

When  they  got  time  to  look  about  them,  those  on 
the  second  mate's  boat  saw  with  delight  tiuit  one  of 
the  other  boats  had  already  killed  its  fish,  and  was 
making  toward  the  ship,  while  the  other  two  were 
still  fast,  with  good  prospects  of  like  success. 

The  towing  of  such  an  unwieldy  prize  was  no  easy 
task,  but  they  had  only  half  a  mile  to  go,  and  their 
hearts  were  ligiit ;  so  with  clieery  songs  they  tugged 
away,  and  in  due  time  were  alongside  of  the  "  Narwiial." 
Approaching  at  the  port  side,  the  fish  was  brougiit 
between  the  fore  and  main  rigging,  and  made  fast  by 
a  rope  around  its  tail  that  passed  through  a  block  on 


106 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICK-PLOES. 


i 


tlie  foremast,  and  anotlier  rope  througli  a  hole  iu  the 
under  jaw,  that  was  rove  tli rough  a  tackle  on  tlie 
inainnia.-'t.  Tlie  whale  was  on  its  back,  and  the  right 
fin.  whicii  was  next  the  ship,  was  dragged  taut  up,  and 
secured  bv  a  chain  to  the  upper  deck.  A  stout  wire 
r()|)e,  stretching  from  the  mainmast  to  the  foremast, 
and  known  as  the  ''  blubber  guy,"  held  four  large 
blocks,  through  which  were  rove  the  fore  and  main 
*•  s|)ek"  tackles,  whose  use  was  for  hoisting  on  board  the 
liuge  layers  of  blubber,  some  of  which  would  weigh 
between  one  and  two  tons.  The  "kent"  or  cant 
tackle  having  been  rigged,  the  object  of  which  is  to 
turn  the  fish  over  as  it  is  being  flinched,  everything 
Avas  in  readiness  for  this  interesting  operation.  The 
men  were  didy  refreshed  from  the  ship's  stores,  and 
then  the  work  of  flinching  the  whale  began. 

Harold  looked  forward  to  this  with  intense  curiosity, 
and  posted  himself  in  his  favorite  eyrie  in  the  main 
cross-tree,  where  he  could  overlook  everything  with- 
out getting  in  anybody's  way.  He  did  not  expect  it 
to  be  as  interesting  as  the  chase  of  the  whale,  but  it 
could  hardly  help  being  well  worth  seeing,  and  such, 
indeed,  it  proved  to  be. 

In  the  port  main  rigging  was  the  captain,  superin- 
tending the  whole  business ;  at  the  gangway  stood 
Peter  Strum,  with  eye  watchful  to  see  that  every  com- 
mand of  the  captain  was  minutely  carried  out.  Upon 
the  upturned  belly  of  the  whale  jumped  the  eight 
harpooueers,  their  boots  being  armed  with  iron  spikes, 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


107 


to  prevent  tlieir  slipping,  and  at   it  they  went  with 
tiu'ir  keen  bhibber  spades  and  knives. 

First  of  all,  a  stiij)  of  bhibber,  nearly  a  yard  in 
width,  was  cut  from  me  neck,  jnst  abaft  ilie  fin;  and 
a  huge  iioie  being  cnt  in  the  qnd,  the  strap  of  the  cant 
tackle  was  passed  throngh  it,  and  by  tliia  means  the 
fi-li  eonkl  be  tnrned  ovm'  as  desired.  With  spade  and 
knife  the  men  cut  big  ..  ips  of  blubber  from  the  belly, 
which  were,  one  by  one,  hoisted  on  board  the  stt^amer, 
where  thev  were  received  bv  the  boat  steerei*s,  who 
Willi  long  knives  cut  them  into  pieces  about  two  feet 
square,  and  passed  these  pieces  over  to  the  line  mana- 
gers, whose  work  was  to  seize  them  with  pick  haaks, 
or  pickies,  as  they  are  called  for  short,  and  send  them 
shooting  throngh  a  small  hole  in  the  main  hatchway 
to  the  deck  below.  Here  they  were  taken  charge  of 
bv  the  "skeeman,"  and  bv  another  man,  oddlv  de- 
nominated  as  the  "  kiuir,"  and  stowed  awav  between 
decks  until  a  favorable  opportunity  should  come  for 
the  final  operation  of  *'  making  off." 

When  the  blubber  had  all  been  removed,  the  pre- 
cious whalebone,  worth  at  least  twelve  thousand 
dollars  a  ton,  and  of  which  the  whale  would  vield  a 
good  part  of  a  ton  by  itself,  was  careful Ij'  detached 
from  the  vast  mouth,  and  lifted  on  board  by  special 
tackle.  Then  the  great  tail  was  cut  off  for  a  purpose 
that  will  be  afterward  explained,  and  thus  stripped 
of  everything  of  value,  the  "kreng"  or  carcass  was 
released,  disappearing  with  a  plunge  into  the  grccu 


I 


iiisipi 


108 


UP   AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


Pi 


Mater,  which  it  turned  to  bh)0(l  for  some  distnnce,  while 
the  men  sent  up  a  histy  ciieer  by  way  of  ii  farewell. 

Tiie  men  had  worked  hard  and  well,  only  two 
h(nirs  being  required  to  dispose  of  the  first  wliale,  and 
were  allowed  a  brief  rest,  and  another  "  lunch  all 
around"  before  attacking  the  second,  ft)r  the  "  Nar- 
wlial"  had  been  wonderfully  fortunate,  three  out  of 
the  four  whales  having  been  secured,  the  two  big 
fellows  and  one  of  the  small  ones,  and  the  day's  work 
would  "pan  out"  at  least  thirty  thousand  dollars,  Jio 
that  it  is  safe  to  say  that  from  Captain  Marling  down 
there  was  not  a  merrier — nor  a  dirtier — crew  afloat 
than  toiled  and  laughed  and  joked  'ud  shouted  on 
board  the  steamer  all  through  that  long  niidsumnier 
afternoon. 

Harold  found  abundant  amusement  for  a  long  time 
in  watching  all  the  bustle  and  noise,  and  then 
after  it  became  somewhat  monotonous  he  discovered 
another  way  of  entertaining  himself,  which  proved  so 
diverting  that  he  felt  boiuul  to  call  Patsy  up  to  share 
it  with  him.  No  sooner  had  the  })rocess  of  flinching 
besjun  than  the  steamer  was  surrounded  bv  hundreds 
of  fulmar  petrels,  or  "mollies"  as  the  whalers  call 
them,  noisy,  greedy,  quarrelsome  birds,  in  appea^'aiice 
much  resembling  the  ordinarv  seairull,  that  clamored 
and  fought  over  the  numerous  pieces  of  kreng  and 
blubl)er  wherewith  the  water  about  the  ship  was 
liberally  sprinkled.  So  fearless  did  their  insatiable 
voracity  render  them,  that  they  would  even   alight 


K 

1 

i 

UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


109 


upon  tlie  whale  within  reach  of  tlie  men,  v.ho  would 
often  catch  one  of  them  and  fling  it  back  into  the 
iiii(l.-?t  of  tlie  flock  swimming  eag<'rly  alongside,  pro- 
ducing a  disturbance  that  very  soon  subsided.  They 
More  not  worth  killing,  and  Captain  Marling  would 
not  suft'er  Harold  to  shoot  tiiem  ;  but  they  were  a  great 
uiii.-ance,  so  he  had  no  objection  to  his  making  a  mark 
ofihem  in  throwing.  Accordingly,  the  two  lads  brought 
up  a  bucket  of  small  lumps  of  coal,  and  had  fine  fun 
weiiiii:  which  could  make  the  best  shots,  usiny;  the  coal 
for  ammunition.  The  "mollies"  were  pretty  cute,  and 
could  dodge  the  missies  with  good  success,  but  their 
voracitv  often  betiaved  them,  for  thev  would  run  the 
risk  of  beiuQf  hit  rather  than  lose  some  choice  morsel 
upon  which  they  had  decided,  so  that  as  between  hit- 
tiiiir  and  missiny;,  honors  were  about  even. 

Just  before  darkness  enfolded  the  ship  in  its  soft; 
embrace  for  the  night,  the  work  of  flinching  was 
fiiii-hed,  and  to  the  accompaniment  of  a  lusty  cheer 
that  actually  terrified  the  mollies,  and  went  echoing 
out  over  the  still  water,  the  third  and  last  kreng  sank 
into  the  depths,  while  the  tired  men,  all  smeared  with 
hlood  and  blubber,  indulged  in  a  grand  clear  up  be- 
fore tumbling  into  their  berths. 

Harold  soon  followed  their  example,  and  his  dreams 
wore  full  of  whales  and  mollies  and  cxcitins:  inci- 
dents,  but  they  contained  no  j)rophecy  of  what  awaited 
liini  on  the  morrow,  and  in  blissful  ignorance  of 
cuiuing  peril  he  slept  as  oidy  a  weary  boy  can  sleep. 


CHAPTER  X. 


IN    PERIL. 


THE  deck  of  the  "Narwhal"  presented  a  most 
unattractive  sight  when  Harold  stepped  out  upon 
it  the  following  morning.  As  the  process  of"  making 
off"  was  yet  to  be  performed  no  attempt  had  been 
made  to  clean  it  up,  and  it  was  in  an  indescribably 
filthy  condition,  and  so  slippery  that  the  most  exper- 
ienced sailor  had  to  ponder  the  path  of  his  feet  pretty 
carefully  if  he  did  not  want  a  roll  into  the  lee  scup- 
pers. After  the  carpenter,  however,  had  sprinkled 
sawdust  over  the  worst  places  it  was  not  so  bad, 
although  Harold  could  not  help  regretting  that  it  was 
necessary  to  make  such  a  mess  of  the  steamer  that  had 
always  hitherto  been  kept  as  neat  as  Aunt  Etter's  best 
parlor. 

It  was  a  fine  calm  morning,  and  there  were  no  Avhalos 
in  sight,  so  Captain  Marling  ordered  all  hands  to  turn 
to  and  assist  in  the  business  of  "making  off."  This 
was  not  so  interesting  as  the  work  of  fliuchillL^ 
The  great  strips  of  blubber  weighing  from  lialf  a  ton 
up  to  two  tons  apiece  were  hoisted  up  on  the  main 
deck,  and  there  divided  into  pieces  about  twelve  or 
sixteen  pounds  weight,  by  men  called  "  krenger.-." 
These  pieces  were  then  passed  on  to  the  "skinners," 

no 


l-mi 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


Ill 


wlio  removed  the  tough  strong  skin,  and  lianded  then' 
over  to  tlie  choppers,  who,  nsing  big  cluinks  from  the 
wliale's  tail  as  ciiopping  bh)clvS,  ciiopped  the  large 
pieces  np  into  little  ones,  and  these  by  means  of  a 
canvas  shoot  called  a  "  lull "  were  sent  down  the 
hatchway  into  the  tanks  waiting  below  to  receive 
thcni,  where  they  would  remain  until  despatched  to 
the  refinery  at  the  end  of  the  voyage. 

It  was  an  animated  and  cheerful  sis-ht,  even  if 
not  "^  particularly  picturesque  one  that  the  main  deck 
])resented  during  the  ''making  oiF."  The  precious 
blubber,  looking  more  like  huge  lumps  of  cheese  than 
anything  else,  came  tumbling  up  out  of  the  hold,  and 
went  from  kienger  to  skinner,  and  from  skinner  to 
chopper,  growing  smaller  and  smaller  in  its  journey, 
until  at  last,  reduced  almost  to  mince  meat,  it  disap- 
peared down  the  hull,  and  vanished  into  the  dark  iron 
tanks,  to  be  disturbetl  no  more  for  perhaps  many 
months. 

Harold,  of  course,  must  needs  be  krenger,  skinner, 
and  chopper  by  turns,  and  although  he  was  inevita- 
bly more  of  a  bother  tlum  a  help,  .md  gruff  old  Peter 
8tnmi  would  have  banislied  him  to  the  stern  if  he 
could  have  had  his  own  way  Captain  Marling 
thought  it  best  that  his  son  should  know  the  business 
(•f  whaling  from  start  to  finish,  and  accordingly  the 
boy  was  given  full  liberty  to  do  what  he  pleased  in  the 
matter.  It  was  little  short  of  a  miracle  that  he  did 
not  cut  off  some  of  his  fingers  in  his  frantic  efforts  to 


112 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


vie  witli  the  expert  choppers,  and  he  did  manage  to 
give  himself  a  cut  in  his  boyish  zenl.  But  it  was  only 
a  sliglit  one  which  a  bit  of  sticking  plaster  made  all 
riglit. 

From  morning  till  noon  the  men  toiled  away  like 
beavers,  and  wei'e  just  resuming  after  having  stowed 
away  a  good  dinner,  when  the  cry  of  "  Whale,  ho  ! 
Whale,  ho  !"  from  the  crow's  ne.st,  whicli  all  this  time 
had  never  been  unoccupied,  threw  them  into  a  state  of 
excitement  and  confusion.  Dropping  their  knives 
and  chop})ers,  they  swarmed  to  the  steamer's  side,  and 
there,  sure  enough,  not  a  mile  away,  two  whales  could 
be  seen  spouting  and  rolling  about  on  the  water. 

Captain  Marlimr  was  at  fii*st  quite  in  a  quandary. 
There  Avas  still  sufficient  work  to  occupy  his  crew  for 
the  rest  of  the  afternoon,  and  the  "making  off"  must 
be  finished  now  that  it  was  bei^un.  One  \\hale  on 
board  was  worth  two  in  the  water,  and  the  blubi.>or 
could  not  be  neglected.  On  the  otiier  hand,  the  whales 
just  sighted  were  evidently  fine  large  ones,  and  it 
seemed  too  bad  to  let  them  go  without  having  a  try  at 
them. 

At  this  jtmcture  the  second  mate  presented  himself 
and,  touching  his  cap  respectfully,  said  ; 

''  I  should  like  to  have  a  go  at  those  wdiales,  sir. 
Do  you  think  you  could  spare  my  boat?'* 

The  captain  hesitated  a  moment.  Lewis'  first  whale 
had  by  this  time  been  safely  stowed  away  in  the  tank?:, 
and  he  was  therefore  the  best  entitled  to  be  sent  olf 


II 


UP   A.A[OXG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


113 


again.  "It  seems  a  pity  to  lose  such  a  good  chance, 
sir,"  urged  Lewis. 

The  captain  pulled  out  his  watch,  ghinced  up  at  the 
sky,  which  was  beginning  to  be  clouded  over  as  though 
thick  weather  was  at  hand,  rubbed  his  chin  thought- 
fully, and  at  length  said  : 

''Very  well,  Lewis.  But  I  can't  spare  more  than 
your  crew.     So  you'll  liave  to  try  it  alone." 

"All  light,  sii',"  replied  Lewis,  his  face  lighting  up 
with  joy  ;  and  then  he  shouted  : 

"Crew  number  (me  get  ready  to  launch  at  once." 

Tiie  men  singled  themselves  out  from  the  crowd, 
aiul  while  their  shipmates  looked  enviously  upon  them, 
tiirew  down  the  tools  with  which  they  had  been  work- 
iug  and  ha?«tened  to  launch  the  boat.  Within  a  few 
minutes  after  Lewis'  order  the  boat  was  off,  and  rowing 
swiftly  in  the  direction  of  the  whales,  which  had 
('han<red  their  course  since  first  sighted,  and  were  now 
niakina:  toward  the  mouth  of  the  biirlit  in  which  the 
"Narwhal"  was  anchored,  they  having  perhaps  in 
some  way  scented  tiie  ju'esence  of  danger. 

Captain  Marling's  attention  was  called  off  by  some- 
thing just  as  the  boat  was  starting,  and  he  did  not 
notice  that  Harold,  taking  it  for  granted  he  couhl 
accompany  the  second  mate  on  his  chase,  had  leaped 
into  the  stern,  where  he  sat  looking  very  important 
wiieu  his  father,  catching  sight  of  him,  exclaimed  : 

"Bless  the  boy!  I  didn't  know  he  was  going,  and 
I  don't  want  him  to  go,  either." 


till 


114 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


in 


His  first  impulse  was  to  order  the  boat  back  and 
make  Harold  get  out.  But  by  this  time  it  was  full 
one  hundred  yards  away,  and  to  return  would  have 
caused  the  loss  of  too  much  time,  so  saying  to  him- 
self, "Well,  boys  will  be  boys,  and  that  boy  is  a 
chip  of  the  old  i[)lock,  sure  enough,"  the  captain  let 
the  boat  go  on.  Many  a  time  during  the  next  few 
days  did  he  bitterly  condemn  himself  for  not  carry- 
ing out  his  first  impulse,  and  vow  that  could  he  have 
had  a  hint  of  what  was  to  happen  he  would  not  have 
let  even  Lewis  go.  But  beyond  the  slightly  threat- 
ening aspect  of  the  heavens  there  was  no  cause  for 
apprehension;  so  comforting  himself  with  the  thought 
that  Lewis  would  be  all  the  more  careful  because  of 
having  Hal  with  him,  Captain  Marling  mounted  to 
the  -row's  nest,  whence  he  could  watch  the  course  of 
the  boat  as  it  sped  on  after  its  prey. 

The  whales  weie  now  quite  a  mile  and  a  half  dis- 
tant, still  keeping  close  together,  and  not  going  very 
fast.  With  strong,  steady  strokes,  the  oarsmen  pulled 
their  stout  blades  through  the  water,  and  the  boat  re- 
sponded like  a  thing  of  life.  The  steamer  rapidly 
receded,  and  the  big  fish  drew  nearer  as  the  minutes 
passed.  Not  a  word  was  spoken.  A  wave  of  the 
?»i;.nd  from  the  steersman  was  the  rowers'  guide,  and 
presently  at  a  gesture  from  him  Lewis  softly  drew  in 
6 M«<  oar,  and  rising  from  his  seat  took  his  position  on 
the  lx)w  behind  the  harpoon  gun. 

They  were   now  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 


UP  AMOXG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


115 


larger  of  the  two  whales,  and  the  great  creature  having 
just  sent  a  stream  of  water  whizzing  into  the  air,  was 
lying  quietly  upon  the  surface,  as  if  taking  a  rest. 
Unfortunately,  it  was  not  in  a  favorable  })osition  for 
attack,  the  tail  being  turned  toward  its  pursuers,  and 
it  was  necessary  to  make  a  kind  of  detour  in  order  to 
come  at  it  on  the  right  side.  This  was  done  with  the 
utmost  care,  and  in  almost  perfect  silence,  notwithstand- 
ing which,  just  as  Lewis  was  leveling  the  gun  at  the 
monster,  it  took  the  alarm,  threw  up  its  tail,  and 
vanished  in  a  cloud  of  foam.  In  the  hope  of  striking 
somewhere  the  second  mate  pulled  the  trigger,  but  the 
wiiale  was  too  quick  for  him,  and  the  result  was  a 
clean  miss. 

"  Too  bad  !  "  exclaimed  Lewis.  "Another  second, 
and  we  would  have  had.  her.  Lay  to.  there,  and  look 
out  for  her  when  she  comes  up  again." 

No  one  watched  more  closely  for  the  cetacean's  re- 
appearance than  Harold,  and  as  luck  -would  have  it, 
lie  was  the  first  to  discover  it. 

''  There  she  blows !  "  he  exclaimed,  pointing  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  to  the  left.  And  lie  had 
made  no  mistake.  The  whale  rose,  spouted,  and  then 
lay  still  again,  with  its  full  broadside  presented  to  the 
boat. 

''  Hurrah  !  now's  our  chance.  Give  way  for  all 
you're  wortli,"  said  Lewis;  and  away  darted  the  boat. 

This  time  there  was  no  disappointment.  The  boat 
shot  up  to  within  twenty  yards  of  the  fish  before  its 


W 


t 


116 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


li  k 


presence  was  suspected.  Indeed,  tlie  first  intimation 
the  latter  had  of  its  proximity  was  wlien  the  gun  went 
off'  witii  a  loud  report,  and  the  keen  harpoon  clove  its 
way  deep  into  its  vitals, 

*^A  fall!  a  fall!"  shouted  Lewis,  triumphantly, 
the  men  taking  up  and  repeating  vigorously  the  joyful 
words.  "  Stand  by  to  see  that  the  lines  run  out 
clear." 

Away  dashed  the  wounded  whale  with  tremendous 
speed,  taking  line  at  such  a  rate  that  the  bollard  head 
smoked  as  though  it  were  on  fire,  and  the  end  must 
soon  be  reached.  Lewis'  face  grew  grave  as  the  line 
coniiiuied  to  run  out  and  showed  no  signs  of  slacken- 
ing. There  were  but  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  left 
in  the  coils,  and  hatchet  in  hand,  he  was  standing  at 
the  bow  ready  to  sever  the  swift-running  rope  the 
moment  the  strain  became  great  enough  to  drag  tho 
boat  under,  when  happily  the  line  slackened,  no  more 
ran  out,  and  with  a  huge  sigh  of  relief  Lewis  put 
down  the  hatchet,  saying:  *'  She's  got  enough.  Stand 
by  to  take  in  as  fast  as  you  can." 

The  men  laid  hold  of  the  line  and  drew  it  in  hand 
over  hand,  while  Lewis  watched  eagerly  for  the  whale 
to  return  to  the  surface.  This  it  did  nearly  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  away,  and  after  taking  breath  "sounded"  again, 
but  went  so  slowly — for  it  was  evidently  hard  hit  in 
the  lungs — that  it  was  not  necessary  to  let  any  more 
line  out;  so  taking  a  turn  with  it  around  the  bollard 
head  in  such  a  wav  that  it  could  be  iustantlv  loosened 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


117 


if  required,  Lewis  allowed  the  whale  to  take  the 
boat  ill  tow,  feeling  sure  that  it  would  soou  tire  of  the 
work. 

Ill  this,  however,  he  was  mistaken.  The  whale, 
sore  wounded  as  it  was,  did  not  soon  tire.  On  the 
contrary,  it  kept  riglit  on  for  mile  after  mile,  steering 
stiaiglit  out  into  the  open  water,  until  the  "Nar- 
whal's" hull  began  to  sink  below  the  horizon,  and 
Harold,  glancing  back  over  the  course,  could  not  help 
A\  iiig  that  he  was  on  board  the  good  steamer  again, 
i  .^ccad  of  being  far  away  from  her  in  a  small  boat, 
following  a  maddened  monster  into  unknown  perils. 

They  were  at  least  five  miles  from  the  ship,  whose 
heavy  spars  already  looked  like  delicate  sprays  of  fern 
as  thev  outlined  themselves  against  the  horizon,  before 
their  captive,  or  rather,  captor,  paused  in  its  career, 
and  once  more  rose  to  the  surface  for  l)rcath.  The 
watchful  Lewis  saw  his  opportunity.  The  boat  was 
rowed  swiftly  to  the  creature's  si<le,  and  a  long  lance 
driven  deep  home  to  its  heart  ere  it  could  escape. 

"  Back  water,  all !"  he  shouted.  The  obedient  boat 
retreated  rapidly.  The  dying  whale  lashed  the  water 
into  bloody  foam  in  its  final  flurry,  and  then  lay  still. 

"We've  got  her!"  exclaimed  the  men,  joyfully. 
And  so  they  had.  The  whale,  a  fine  large  one,  worth 
a  pot  of  money,  was  dead  beyond  a  doubt,  and  it  now 
only  remained  to  tow  their  prize  back  to  the  steamer. 
Tills  they  at  once  proceeded  to  do.  The  lines  were 
gathered  in  and   coiled   in   their  compartments,  the 


llllil 


I 


FT" 


118 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


fins  were  well  pierced  and  lashed  under  the  belly, 
and  the  big  tail  was  triced  up  to  the  stern  sheets. 

'•  We've  got  a  long  pull  ahead  of  us,  my  boys,  and 
I  don't  quite  like  tl)e  look  of  the  weather.  But  we'll 
try  it,  anyway,"  said  Lewis,  scrutinizing  the  sky  in 
the  direction  of  the  "Narwhal"  carefully. 

The  men  were  willing  enough.  They  were  working 
for  themselves,  as  well  as  for  the  ship.  To  bring  the 
•whale  alongside  safely  meant  a  good  many  dollars  for 
each,  so  they  buckled  to  their  task  with  hearty  vigor. 

But  tiiey  were  never  to  be  any  richer  by  this  cap- 
ture. The  fates  had  otherwise  decreed.  Just  as  thev 
were  getting  well  under  way,  the  dark,  threatening 
look  of  the  heavens  was  explained.  A  sudden  gust 
of  wind,  heavily  laden  with  snow,  burst  u})on  them. 
So  dense  was  it  that  they  could  not  see  more  than 
fifty  yards  ahead,  and  so  blinding  and  stinging  that 
no  one  could  attempt  to  face  it.  Ho2)ing  that  it 
might  prove  only  a  brief  squall,  Lewis  ordered  the 
men  to  lay  to  on  their  oars,  and  wait  until  it  passetl 
over.  But  instead  of  abating,  the  storm  continued, 
and  seemed,  moreover,  to  increase  in  violence.  It  soon 
became  clear  that  the  whale  must  be  given  up.  To 
hold  on  to  it  any  longer  was  simply  to  court  death;  so 
Lewis  reluctantly  gave  orders  to  cut  it  loose,  and 
presently  the  precious  prize  for  which  they  had  toiled 
so  hard  was  drifting  away,  its  life  having  been  taken 
in  vain. 

The  question  now  was,  how  best  to  act  under  the 


UP  AMOXa   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


119 


gust 
them. 

than 

that 

lat  it 

U  the 

assed 

11  lied, 

soon 

'V 
10 

i;  so 

and 

Loiled 

taken 

the 


circumstances.  The  wind  unhappily  was  blowing 
straight  from  the  direction  in  wiiicli  they  wanted  to 
go,  and  so  strongly  that  the  boat  could  not  face  it. 
Their  onlv  safetv  lav  in  fleeino:  before  the  storm  until 
its  violence  siiouhl  be  over.  To  enable  them  tlie 
belter  do  this,  the  siiort  mast,  which  every  well- 
eqiiipped  whale  boat  carries,  was  set  up,  and  the 
sail  well  reefed  down,  carefully  raised  and  secured. 
Under  this  canvas,  slight  as  it  was,  the  boat  fairly 
flew  over  the  watei",  and,  being  as  seaworthy  as  a  life- 
boat, there  was  no  more  danger  of  its  being  swamped. 
Bnt  where  were  they  going,  and  what  was  to  become 
of  them?  Serious  questions  these  indeed,  and  so  all 
on  board  the  flying  boat  felt  them  to  be,  as  witli 
anxious,  frightened  faces  they  cowered  in  their  seats, 
dearly  wishing  they  were  well  out  of  their  predicament. 

It  was  growing  late  in  the  afternoon.  The  dusk 
would  soon  l)e  upon  them,  and  then  their  position 
Mould  be  still  more  perilous.  There  was  no  longer 
any  necessity  for  Lewis  being  in  the  bow,  so  he  camo 
clown  to  the  stern,  where  Harold,  crouched  in  a  corner, 
was  doing  his  best  to  protect  himself  from  the  storm. 

"Keep  up  a  brave  heart,  Hal,"  said  Lewis,  putting 
his  arm  around  him.  "  We'll  come  out  of  this  scrape 
all  right,  never  fear." 

Harold  lifted  his  head,  and  looked  into  Lewis' 
face.  It  was  clear  that  he  had  been  crying;  but  at 
the  sound  of  his  friend's  voice,  he  wiped  away  his 
tears,  and  made  a  big  effort  to  control  himself. 


. '  ■        if"'  '^i 


lU 


120 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


"Will  we  be  all  right  soon?"  he  asked,  with 
trembling  lips. 

"  Perhaps,  not  very  soon,"  said  Lewis,  hugging  him 
close,  for  he  was  exceedingly  fond  of  the  boy.  "iJdt 
it'll  be  sure  to  be  clear  by  morning,  and  then  the 
*  Narwhal '  will  come  along  and  pick  us  up." 

"  I  hoi)e  so.  Dear  father  !  how  anxious  he'll  be  ! 
He'll  come  right  after  us,  I'm  sure." 

*'Of  course,  he  will.  He's  probably  searching  for 
us  now,  and  maybe  will  pick  us  up  before  the  morn- 
ing," said  Lewis,  assuming  his  most  ciieerful  tone. 
*'  But,  look  here,  my  boy,  you  must  have  some  better 
protection  than  that  reefer  of  yours,  or  you'll  soon  be 
chilled  through.  Ah,  I  have  tiie  idea!"  he  added, 
springing  up.  Taking  the  tarpaidins  that  are  used  to 
cover  the  whale  lines,  he  made  Harold  curl  up  in  the 
cosiest  corner  of  the  stern,  and  then  covered  him  com- 
pletely, making  him  so  comfortable  that  the  tired  boy, 
comforting  his  heart  with  Lewis'  assurance  of  ulti- 
mate deliverance,  soon  fell  asleep,  a.id  dreamed  that 
lie  was  safe  on  board  the  "Narwhal  '   again. 

On  sped  the  staunch  boat  through  the  darkness, 
Lewis  taking  turns  at  the  steering  oar  with  the  steers- 
man, and  the  men  sitting  still  and  silent  in  tlieir  seats, 
as  though  they  had  already  resigned  tiiemselves  to 
death.  Toward  midniglit  the  snow  gradually  abated, 
and  finally  ceased  altogether,  but  the  wind  held  on, 
and  constant  care  was  required  to  keep  the  boat  true 
in  her  course. 


^w\ 


I 


UP  AMONG  THE   lOE-FLOES. 


121 


"The  captain  will  have  a  tough  job  finding  us  if 
we  go  on  all  nigiit  at  this  rate/'  said  Lewis  to  tiie 
steersman. 

"Aye,  indeed,  sir;  but  I've  been  in  just  as  bad  a 
box  before,  and  got  out  of  it  all  rigiit.  If  to-inorrow'd 
fine,  our  chances  are  good,"  was  the  cheering  reply. 

About  tliis  time  Harold  awoke,  shivering  witii  the 
cold  and  aching  from  hia  hard  couch. 

"  Are  we  near  the  steamer  ?  "  was  his  first  question, 
as  he  peered  eagerly  into  Lewis'  face. 

How  glad  would  Lewis  have  been  to  give  him  an 
aHirmative  answer  !  But  there  was  nothing  to  gain  by 
deceit,  so  he  replied  :  "  Not  yet,  Hal ;  we  can't  find 
the  steamer  until  morning,  you  know." 

"And  when  will  it  be  morning ?"  asked  Harold, 
trcmulouslv. 

"Not  for  some  time  yet,  Hal.  But  keep  up  your 
heart.  The  snow's  all  over,  and  the  wind's  going 
down;  there's  nothing  to  be  afraid  of,"  returned 
Lewis. 

Brave  words,  these,  no  doubt,  and  well  meant,  but 
they  could  not  disguise  from  Harold  any  more  than  they 
could  from  Lewis  himself  the  gravity  of  their  situa- 
tion. They  must  now  be  not  less  than  fifty  miles 
from  the  steamer,  and  increasing  tiie  distance  all  the 
time.  Did  they  but  know  in  what  direction  to  steer 
they  might  make  some  ])rogress  back  over  the  course 
they  had  come,  but  to  do  this,  when  so  completely  in 
the  dark,  would  be  jKirliaps  only  to  lessen  the  chances 


rr 


122 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


of  their  rescue.  Then  at  anv  time  the  wind  raidit 
change,  the  ice  bear  down  upon  tiiem,  and  their  good 
boat  be  crushed  like  an  eggshell  between  the  pitiless 
floes.  All  on  board  realized  the  magnitude  of  tiie 
danger,  but  few  spoke,  and  then  only  in  sulnlued 
tones,  as  though  little  hope  were  left.  And  the  air 
grew  keen  and  penetrating,  cliilling  the  stoutest  to  the 
heart  as  the  frail  craft,  with  its  crew  of  seven  precious 
souls,  sj)ed  before  the  wind  none  knew  whither,  or  to 
what  fate. 


I 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IN   TIME — THANK  GOD  ! 

MORNING  broke  clear  aud  bright  upon  the  lonely 
boat,  with  its  chilled  and  weary  occupants,  and 
as  their  eyes  eagerly  swept  the  horizon  no  ground  for 
hope  appeared  to  cheer  and  comfort  them,  l)eyond  the 
assurance  that  somewhere  far  up  to  the  nortliward  the 
"Narwiial"  was  already  setting  forth  to  their  rescue. 
But  how  was  she  to  find  them  ?  Thev  made  but  a 
tiny  speck  on  the  vast  wilderness  of  sea  and  ice  about 
them.  The  little  union  jack,  which  every  English 
wliale  boat  carries,  running  it  up  to  the  masthead 
whenever  a  fish  had  been  struck,  seemed  like  the 
mere  mockery  of  a  signal  of  distress,  as  they  reversed 
it,  and  drew  it  to  the  peak  again.  Then,  even  though 
the  steamer  should  find  the  boat  ultimately,  might 
thev  not  be  dead  from  hunger  and  thirst  before  that 
would  happen  ? 

Just  here  they  had  good  cause  to  be  grateful  that 
Captain  Marling  was  a  man  of  ideas,  and  that,  having 
alwavs  the  couraire  of  his  convictions,  he  nevci  hesi- 
tated  about  putting  ins  ideas  into  execution.  Now, 
one  of  his  ideas  was  that  no  whale  boat  siiouid  leave 
the  steamer  without  being  provided  against  the  con- 
tingency of  separation  from  the  vessel  for  perliaps  a 

123 


ii) 


124 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


clay  or  more.  Not  a  season  passed  upon  the  great 
cod  fishing  tanks  without  some  ghastly  tale  of  fisher- 
men out  ill  their  dories  losino;  their  schooner  and 
drifting  about  to  a  slow  death  of  torture  from  thirst 
and  hunger.  It  were  quite  as  likely  for  the  same 
thing  to  happen  in  whale  fishing.  Accordingly,  the 
thoughiful  captain  had  put  to  good  use  the  compart- 
ment at  the  whale  boat's  stern,  by  having  made  for  it 
two  strong  tin  cases,  one  of  which  was  always  kept 
full  of  pilot  bread,  and  the  other  of  water. 

"  We've  got  enough  to  keep  us  going  for  a  couple 
of  days,  at  all  events,  if  we're  not  too  greedy,"  said 
Lewis,  as  he  proceeded  to  inspect  the  cases.  They 
were  both  full  to  the  brim,  and  held  ten  pounds  of 
biscuits  and  two  gallons  of  water  respectively.  Nut 
much  for  six  men  and  a  big  boy  to  live  upon  for  any 
length  of  time,  but  not  to  be  despised,  you  may  he 
sure.  They  must  be  husbanded  with  greatest  care ; 
for  who  could  tell  when  the  lost  ones  would  be  safe  ou 
board  the  "Narwhal"  again.  • 

The  sim  rose  in  unclouded  splendoi*,  and  its  warm 
rays  were  unspeakably  grateful  to  the  shivering  men. 
It  M-as  now  the  beginning  of  August,  the  hottest 
month  of  the  brief  Arctic  summer,  and  the  chances 
were  that  the  storm  which  had  come  so  inopportunely 
uould  be  succeeded  by  a  long  spell  of  fine  weather. 
Thev  had  therefore  little  to  fear  from  tlie  elements. 
Poor  Harold,  who  had  looked  woefully  haggard  and 
forlorn  at  daybreak, — for,  if  the  truth  be  told,  his  tcais 


I 


UP   A3I0XG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


126 


had  fallen  freely  through  the  night, — grew  ranch  more 
cheerful  under  the  brightening  influence  of  the  sun, 
and  after  eating  a  biscuit  and  taking  a  cup  of  water, 
felt  a  good  deal  more  composed. 

•'•  It's  going  to  be  a  fine  day.  Father  will  be 
sure  to  find  us,  won't  he?"  said  he,  looking  eagerly 
into  the  second  mate's  face  for  confirmation  of  his 
hopes. 

"Of  course  he  will,"  replied  Lewis,  with  a  positive- 
ness  which  thoroughly  satisfied  his  questioner.*  "If 
we're  not  all  safe  on  board  the  steamer  by  night,  I'll 
never  prophesy  again,  that's  all." 

Lewis  was  entirely  sincere  in  his  answer.  He 
really  thought  the  "Narwhal"  would  find  them  be- 
fore night,  little  imagining  how  poor  a  prophet  events 
would  prove  him. 

On  lookincr  about  them,  it  seemed  clear  enouQ:h  that 
the  storm  had  blown  the  boat  across  the  open  water, 
and  that  the  vast  field  of  ice  to  the  westward,  hilled 
and  hummocked  into  all  sorts  of"  fantastic  shapes, 
and  stretching  away  as  far  as  eye  could  see,  was  really 
shore  ice,  leading  up  to  the  solid  land. 

Landing  upon  this  snow-white  shore,  Lewis  climbed 
one  of  the  highest  hummocks  in  the  neiy-hborhood, 
and  swept  the  horizon  with  his  keen  glance.  He  had 
more  than  one  object  in  view.  Looking  shoreward, 
he  sought  for  some  indication  of  the  presence  of 
Esquimaux,  with  whom  as  a  last  resort  they  might 
find  a  shelter,  and  turning  seaward  he  tried  to  dis- 


126 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


11 


iiili 


cover  the  line  of  smoke  that  would  be  the  firtjt  glad 
intimation  of  the  steamer's  approacli. 

But  in  neither  quest  was  he  successful.  From 
horizon  to  horizon,  nortli,  south,  east,  and  west,  not 
another  sign  of  life  broke  the  dread  monotony  of  ice 
and  sea.  Tiie  wilderness  of  water  stretched  along 
beside  the  wilderness  of  ice,  and  tlie  keenest  sight  was 
powerless  to  find  a  bound  to  eitlier.  •         . 

"  We  may  as  well  iiaul  tiie  boat  ashore,"  said  Lewis. 
"We'll  have  more  room  to  move  about  on  tiie  ice." 

So  the  boat  was  drawn  up  at  a  good  place,  and 
everybody  landed,  feeling  very  glad  to  be  released 
from  their  cramped  quarters.  Had  they  been  simply 
on  a  sealing  expedition,  for  instance,  they  would  have 
thougiit  it  j)lea?ant  enougii,  for  the  air  was  warm,  the 
ice  firm  and  fairlv  level,  and  it  would  have  been  ensv 
to  have  a  lively  time.  Even  as  it  was,  the  men's 
spirits  manifestly  rose,  and  they  indulged  in  some 
skylarking,  which  showed  that  they  were  by  no  means 
over-despondent.  .     : 

Leaving  them  in  charge  of  the  boat,  Lewis  took 
Harold  with  him,  and  went  off  for  a  walk  shoreward, 
wishing  to  ascertain  if  he  could,  the  breadth  of  the 
band  of  ice  upon  which  they  had  landed.  The  walk- 
ing was  pretty  difficult,  and  they  could  make  only 
slow  ])rogress,  but  they  had  any  amount  of  time  at 
their  disposal,  and  the  chief  thing  was  to  find  occupa- 
tion. It  kept  tliem  from  thinking  too  much.  Tiiey 
had  gone  about  a  couple  of  miles  when  Lewis'  sharp 


UP  AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


127 


eye  noticed  soiiiethiiij;  moviiis:  in  tlie  snow  several 
hundred  yanla  distant,  and  he  determined  to  investi- 
gate. Bidding  Harold  keep  well  behind  him,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  stallc  the  game  with  the  caution  of  an 
Indian  hunter,  making  use  of  every  hummock  and 
inequality  of  the  ice  that  offered  concealment,  Harold 
faithfully  imitating  ins  movements.  Lewis  had  with 
him  the  hand  harpoon,  a  very  formidable  weapon,  and 
also  a  good  revolver  in  his  hip  pocket,  wiiile  Harold 
carried  one  of  the  lances,  so  that  they  were  quite 
readv  for  anv  ordinary  encounter. 

Creeping  forward  noiselessly,  they  drew  near  the 
spot  where  the  moving  object  had  first  been  discovered. 
It  probably  had  seen  them,  for  it  had  slipped  behind 
a  bummock,  and  for  ought  they  knew  was  making  off 
on  the  other  side.  At  length  thev  reached  this  verv 
hummock.  Lewis  motioned  Harold  to  stay  still,  and 
then  throbbins:  with  excitement,  moved  inch  bv  inch 
around  the  base  of  the  hummock,  holding  the  revolver 
in  his  right  hand,  and  the  harpoon  in  his  left.  Breath- 
lessly, Harold  watched  him  until  he  disappeared 
around  the  corner,  and  then,  unable  to  restrain  him- 
self, took  a  few  steps  forward.  As  he  did,  he  lieard 
a  shout  from  Lewis,  followed  quickly  by  the  sharp 
crack  of  his  revolver,  and  with  a  wild  startled  roar  a 
big  white  bear  sprang  out  from  behind  the  hummock, 
and  shambled  off  shoreward.  The  gait  of  a  polar 
bear  is  an  awkward  enough  movement  inider  any  cir- 
cumstances, but  there  was  something  peculiarly  clumsy 


If 


128 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


about  this  one's  mode  of  progression,  and  after  watcli- 
ing  it  closely  for  a  moment  Lewis  shouted,  in  a  tri- 
umphant tone : 

"  Hurrah  !  his  shoulder's  broken  ! "  This  was  pre- 
cisely what  bothered  bruin,  and  after  getting  over 
about  a  hundred  yards  of  rough  ice,  he  stopped, 
growled  fier'^ely.  '"d  turned  to  face  his  pursuers.  It 
was  evident  that  iiq  found  locomotion  altogether  too 
ptnnful  to  'rrk  safety  in  flight,  and  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  fiorlu  it  iv.i. 

"  Be  careful  now,  Hal.  Keep  well  behind  me," 
said  Lewis,  advancing  cautiously.  Harold  needed  no 
such  admonition.  He  liad  never  seen  a  polar  hear 
before,  not  even  in  a  menagerie,  and  this  great  clumsy 
creature  with  his  long  vicious  head,  huge  paws,  and 
shaggy  fur  of  a  dirty  white  tint  was  not  just  the  kind 
of  new  acquaintance  he  felt  any  desire  to  cordially 
embrace. 

Covering  the  bear  with  his  revolver,  Lewis  advanced 
until  within  safe  shooting  distance,  and  then,  taking 
aim  at  his  head,  fired.  The  sharp  crack  of  the  re- 
volver split  the  still  air,  there  was  an  awful  roar  of 
pain  and  fury,  and  with  a  mad  etfort  to  reach  his 
enemy  the  bear  rolled  over  on  the  ice,  to  all  appear- 
ances as  dead  as  a  door  nail. 

Dropping  his  revolver  into  his  pocket,  Lewis  grasped 
the  harpoon,  and  rushed  forward  to  examine  his  prize. 
In  doing  this  he  showed  a  lack  of  his  customary  pru- 
dence which  came  near  having  serious  consequences. 


n  .<; 


TJP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


129 


A  polar  bear  has  a  hold  upon   life  tliat  is  almost 
l)cyon(l  belief.     If  an  ordinary  cat  has  nine  lives,  this 
ijionarch  of  the  North   must  iiave  at  least  eiixhtecn. 
Botli  of  Lewis'  bullets  had  taken  effect,  the  fir.-^t  hav- 
iiisx  broken  the  bear's  siioulder,  and  the  second  having 
entered  his  skull,  stunning  him  at  once.     Yet  he  was 
far  from  being  dead,  and  just  as  Lewis  ran  up  to  him 
he  suddenly  sprang  to  his  i'eet,  reared  up  on  his  hind 
logs,  and  with  a  clever  blow  of  iiis  uninjured   paw 
sent  the  harpoon  spinning  out  of  the  second  mate's 
hand,  following  the  blow  with  so  swift  a  rush  that  ere 
I^ewis  could  evade  him,  he  had  thrown  himself  upon 
him,  and  man  and  brute  went  down  together  in  a  heap 
upon  the  ice.     For  an  instant  Harold  was  petrified 
with  horror.     But  it  was  only  for  an  instant;  then 
the  boy's  brave  heart  responded  to  the  call  of  danger, 
and  grasping  the  lance  firmly  in  both  hands  he,  sprang 
forward,  and  the  bear  just  then  happening  to  lift  his 
head,  he  thrust  the  point  with  perfect  aim  right  into 
tlie  monster's  eye.     Without  a  groan  the  bear  rolled 
over,  this  time  dead  beyond  a  pcradventure. 

Too  full  of  anxiety  for  his  companion  to  feel  ex- 
ultant over  the  rare  good  fortune  of  his  stroke,  Harold 
dragged  the  bear  off  Lewis,  and  his  heart  almost 
stopped  beating  when  he  found  him  senseless.  But 
feeling  sure  that  he  coidd  not  be  really  dead,  he  lifted 
his  head  into  his  lap  and  chafed  it  with  his  hands, 
crying  frantically:  "Mr.  Lewis!  Mr.  Lewis!  what 
is  the  matter  ?     Oh,  do  speak  to  me ! " 


I'^P 


i> 


180 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


For  a  few  moments  he  was  kopt  in  harrowing  siis 
pcnso,  and  tlicn,  to  liis  nnspoakable   delight,  Tiewis 
opened  his   eyes,  put  his  hand  np  to  his  head,  and 
asked,  in  a   faint,  bewiklercd  way:     "What's  hap- 
j^encd?     What's  tlie  matter?" 

Tlie  reaction  was  too  mueh  for  Harold's  over- 
strained nerves,  and  bnrsting  into  tears,  he  exclaimed : 
"  It's  all  right.     He's  dead.     I  killed  him." 

LeM^is  soon  recovered  his  senses,  and  sitting  up, 
looked  from  the  dead  beai*  to  the  Aveeping  boy  with  an 
expression  in  which  amazement  and  delight  were  oddly 
mingled. 

"Did  you  really  kill  him,  Hal?"  he  asked  at 
length. 

"I  did,  indeed,"  replied  Harold,  Aviping  aAAay  his 
tears.     "  I  jabbed  him  in  the  eye  Avith  the  lance." 

Satisfied  that  all  danger  Avas  over,  Lewis  proceeded 
to  examine  himself,  and  to  his  huge  relief  found  that 
beyond  the  bump  from  the  ice,  Avhich  had  lendered 
him  insensible,  he  had  suffered  no  injuries  Avhatever. 

"  T  am  not  hurt  a  bit,"  said  he.  "If  I'm  not  the 
luckiest  felloAv  alive  !  Come,  uoav,  let  us  go  back  to 
the  boat  and  get  some  help.  We  can't  mannge  that 
great  carcass  betAveen  us." 

The  men  of  the  boat  Avere  inmiensely  surprised  to 
hear  of  the  killing  of  the  bear,  and  taking  a  big  piece 
of  Avhale  line  they  dragged  the  body  back  to  the  boat, 
Avhere  thev  skinned  it  Avith  their  sheath  knives,  and 
stretching  out  the  pelt  to  dry,  cached  or  stored  the 


'■a 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FL()E3. 


131 


;¥l 


carcass  in  a  hummock,  for  although  polar  bear  i^tviik 
is  lar  from  toothsome,  especially  when  mw,  still  it 
Ava.s  belter  thau  no  food,  and  there  was  no  telling  to 
wiiat  extremities  they  might  be  driven  ere  the  "Xar- 
wluil"  would  find  them. 

On  the  particulars  of  the  struggle  bei^ig  told, 
Harold  became  quite  a  hero  in  the  sailors'  estimation, 
nnd  altogether  this  incident  served  to  make  a  welcome 
break  in  the  long  day  of  waiting  which  passed  with- 
out any  sign  of  the  steamer's  api)roach.  Once  more 
the  night  closed  in  upon  them,  and  with  such  com- 
})osure  as  they  coukl  muster  they  prepared  to  make 
the  best  of  their  sorry  plight. 

The  following  morning  found  them  beginning  to 
show  very  plainly  the  effects  of  their  continued  ex- 
posure, for  although  the  night  was  comparatively  mild, 
aUil  happily  free  from  wind,  it  was,  of  course,  impos- 
sible to  obtain  any  real  comfort,  and  sleej)  came  only 
because  of  utter  weariness.  Poor  Harold  seemed  so 
miserable  in  both  mind  and  body  that  Lewis  was 
filled  with  anxiety  concerning  him.  The  boy  had  a 
constitution  of  no  ordinary  sturdiness;  but  it  was 
hardly  calculated  to  endure  long  protracted  exposure 
on  an  ice  floe.  As  the  sun  rose  bright  and  strong  in 
the  heavens,  a  new  dan<rer  confronted  them.  The 
white  glare  attacked  their  eyes,  and  they  were  threat- 
ened with  snow  blindness.  This  meant  a  serious 
addition  to  the  perils  already  surrounding  them,  and 
the  second  mate  warna<l  his  men  to  keep  their  eyes 


ii ' 


lliiii 


'"^ 


132 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


J    i 


Mi 


turncil  seaward  wliere  the  cool,  pleasant  bliie-greeii  of 
the  water  would  do  them  no  harm. 

The  long  day  dragged  itself  past  with  intolerahle 
slowness.  Owing  to  this  new  danger,  none  now  dared 
to  leave  the  boat,  lest  they  should  wander  away  and 
be  lost.  The  pangs  of  hunger  increased  hourly,  for  the 
biscuits  were  well-nigh  gone,  and  Lewis  doled  them 
out  in  little  morsels  that  hardly  made  a  mouthful. 
Their  thirst  they  could  partially  assuage  by  sucking 
snowballs,  but  their  only  resource  against  starvation 
presently  would  be  the  raw,  repulsive  flesh  of  the 
polar  bear.  Sad-eyed  and  sick  at  heart,  and  yet  mar- 
velously  patient,  bearing  their  suffering  with  a  !-tolid 
courage  that  filled  Harold  with  wondering  admiiation 
and  helped  him  to  be  brave  also,  the  little  group  of 
castaways  was  once  more  enshrouded  by  the  darkness 
of  a  night  that  for  aught  they  knew  might  have  no 
waking. 

In  the  meantime  what  had  they  been  doing  on 
board  the  "Narwhal"?  Every  movement  of  Lewis' 
boat  had  been  closely  followed  by  Captain  Marling 
from  the  crow's  nest,  and  when,  seeing  the  jack  run 
up  on  the  whale  boat's  mast  in  token  of  a  whale  being 
struck,  he  joyously  shouted:  "A  fall!  a  fall!"  the 
busy  men  below  paused  in  their  work  for  a  moment 
to  give  a  rousing  cheer  at  Lewis'  success.  So  intent 
was  the  captain  in  watching  the  boat  that  he  did  not 
notice  the  storm  rushing  out  of  the  north  until  it  was 
fairly  upon  him.     But  in  an  instant  he  realized  the 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FT.OES. 


133 


)mei)t 
liiitcut 
lid  not 

it  wari 


danger.  Hastening  to  the  deck,  he  ordered  steam  np 
at  once.  What  yet  remained  of  the  '•  making  oft'" 
must  be  laid  aside,  and  all  energies  directed  toward 
getting  the  steamer  nnder  way. 

Tiiere  was  much  to  be  done.  The  anchors  had  to 
be  raised, — a  slow  process  at  the  best  of  times, — the 
dull,  burning  fires  set  going  fiercely,  the  deck  cleared 
of  its  many  encumbrances,  and  all'  this  took  time ;  so 
that  despite  the  captain's  impatient  orders,  and  the 
hearty  vigor  with  which  his  men  obeyed  them,  it  was 
a  full  hour  ere  the  "Narwhal"  moved  slowly  out  of 
the  bight,  and  then  with  gathering  speed  set  oif  in 
search  of  the  end  angered  boat. 

By  this  time  the  snow  storm  was  raging  wildly, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  make  out  anything  fifty 
yards  from  the  steamer. 

'•  God  help  them,  and  take  care  of  my  boy!"  mur- 
mured the  captain,  his  heart  aching  with  apprehension. 
Every  man  on  board  had  but  one  thought,  the  rescue 
of  their  shipmates,  and  all  who  had  no  other  duty 
posted  themselves  in  the  rigging  or  at  the  bows,  heeding 
not  the  storm  in  their  eagerness  to  descry  some  signs 
of  the  whaleboat.  When  night  cauie  on,  the  largest 
lanterns  (m  board  were  hung  at  the  mastheads,  and  the 
steam  whistle  was  sounded  at  frequent  intervals  in 
of  attractintr  the  lost  ones.    But  th 


>}' 


lay 


and  brought  no  cheering  news  to  the  captain,  who  had 
not  left  the  deck,  nor  closed  his  eyes  all  night.  **  We'll 
bj  sure  to  find  them  to-day,  won't  we,  Peter?"  sai4 


■'It. 

li 

'Hi 


HhWiP 


,i 
i- 

1 

I'i 

*  1 

1 

1 

1 

i 
f 

■- 
■■> 

il 

i  ; 
1   ■ 

1 

I   i 


134 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


lio,  with  assumed  cheerfulness  to  the  faithful  old  mate, 
staiuliiig  near  him  on  the  hridge. 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir  ;  no  doubt  of  it.  Tiiey\'e  just  riui 
off  before  the  wind.  We'll  piek  them  up  ere  nigiit- 
fail,"  replied  Peter,  iu  a  tone  of  confidence  that  did 
the  captain  good. 

But  that  day  passed  in  fruitless  search,  and  anotlioi' 
night  came,  and  the  darkness  that  en\vrai)ped  iho 
steamer  was  not  deeper  than  the  gloom  which  filled 
the  captain's  heart,  and  affected  every  one  on  board. 
It  was  a  sorrowful  ship's  com})any.  Harold  and  the 
second  mate  were  both  prime  favorites,  the  crew  ot 
the  boat  comprised  the  pick  of  the  forecastle,  and 
their  absence  made  a  gap  which  all  felt  acutely. 
Patsy  Kehoe  was  almost  beside  himself  with  grief 
and  anxiety.  His  warm,  passionate  Irish  nature  h;id 
gone  out  to  Harold  in  a  love  that  daily  acts  of  kind- 
ness had  formed  and  fostered  until  it  became  the  very 
centre  of  his  life.  He  scarcely  slept  or  ate  as  the 
time  passed,  and  the  missing  ones  were  still  unfound, 
and  somehow.  Captain  Marling  came  to  feel  as  thoujjh 
there  was  no  one  who  sympathized  with  him  so  fully 
as  did  the  little  Irish  stowawav. 

The  third  day  came,  and  the  weather  was  still  fine. 
Having  struck  straight  across  the  open  water  in  the 
track  of  the  storm  until  he  reached  the  ice,  the  "Nar- 
whal" had  then  coasted  along  its  edge,  the  captain 
feeling  sure  that  if  anywhere,  the  boat  must  be  ui)oa 
this  ice.     Unfortunatelv,  he  tiu'ned  southward  first, 


m. 


fully 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


1  '^Fi 


and  thus  lost  a  day,  not  turning  north  again  until  it 
M-as  clear  he  liad  gone  much  farther  tlitin  the  boat 
could  possibly  have  done.  Tiicn  he  steered  toward  the 
north,  and  pushing  tlie  steanuT  to  her  utmost  speed, 
scanned  every  loot  of  the  shore  ice  as  he  passed. 

Tlie  tliird  (hiy  was  drawing  to  its  close,  and,  utterly 
worn  out,  the  heart-broken  captain  had  tlirown  him- 
self upon  the  bench  beside  the  cabin  skylight  and 
fallen  into  a  profound  slumber,  wlien  Peter  Strum, 
then  up  in  the  crow's  nest,  shouted  out  at  the  toi>  of 
his  grutl'  voice  :   "  Boat,  ahoy  !  on  the  lee  side  !  " 

Patsy  just  at  that  moment  appeared  on  deck,  and 

ustantly  catching  the  mate's  meaning,  he  sprang  to 

the  captain's  side,  and  shaking  his  arm  vigorously, 

'  ■  ^  out  in  his  ear:   "Wake  up,  sir!     Wake  up! 


Mr.  Strum" 


xvJ». 


'1  tl 


lem 


}f 


Half  stupefied  will)  sleep,  the  captain  staggered  to 


his  feet,  and  looked  about  him  in  a  bewildered  wav 


.'  y 


and  just  then  Strum's  voice  roared  out  again  :  "  *  Nar- 
whal's '  boat,  and  all  hands  safe.'^ 

With  a  fervent  exclamation  of  "Thaidi  God  !  thank 
God!"  Captain  Marling  rushed  to  the  rigging,  and 
climbing  up  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  crow's  nest, 
cried:    '•  Where ?  where ?     Show  me  where  ! " 

There  was  the  boat  in  full  view,  lying  close  to  the 
edge  of  the  ice,  and  there  standing  beside  it,  and 
making  frantic  signals  to  the  steamer,  were  one,  two, 
three,  four,  five,  six  men  and  a  smaller  figure,  that 
could  not  be  mistaken. 


f!fp"!||i|l 


9m 


ilHi'f 


136 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


On  sped  the  steamer,  straiglit  toward  them.     Right 
up  to  the  edge  of  the  ice  she  glided.     Witli  tlie  speed 

of  thought  a  boat  was  lowered,  and Well,  what 

more  is  there  to  tell,  save  that  in  a  few  moments, 
Harold,  pale,  haggard  and  weak,  but  living,  was 
folded  to  his  father's  heart. 


1    ^ 

II 


I 


CIIAPTEll  XII. 


IX   QUIET   WATERS. 


IT  is  easier  to  imagine  than  describe  the  scene  of 
gladness  and  gratitude  which  followed  the  re- 
union on  the  ice.  Weak  and  faint  as  the  rescued 
ones  felt,  the  appearance  of  the  "  Narwlial "  had 
infused  new  life  into  them,  and  they  vied  with  their 
rescuers  in  the  vigor  of  their  manifestations  of  joy. 
The  parties  made  a  very  lively  group,  and  no  one  was 
more  demonstrative  than  Ca})tain  Marling,  who,  hav- 
iiiii;  first  assured  himself  that  Harold  had  suffered 
iK^thinu;  more  from  hunijer  and  exhaustion  than  what 
a  little  care  would  soon  make  all  right  again,  wont 
from  one  to  the  other  of  the  boat's  crew,  shaking 
their  hands  and  clapping  them  on  the  back,  giving 
full  vent  to  his  feelings.  Then,  bethinking  himself 
of  their  famished  condition,  he  shouted  out:  "All 
hands  on  board  to  dinner,"  whereat  the  whole  party 
hastened  back  to  the  steamer  as  fast  as  hunii;rv  men 
cuuld  go. 

A  few  days  of  rest  and  quiet  completely  removed 
all  traces  of  their  hard  experiences  from  those  who 
had  been  in  such  danger.  Even  Harold  regained  his 
j)lumpness  and. color  with  a  rapidity  little  short  of  sur- 
prising, and  the  interrupted  process  of  "  making  ofi'" 

137 


rT" 


138 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


having  been  duly  completed,  the  "  Xarwhal'a  "  prow 
^vas  once  more  pointed  northward. 

It  was  now  tlie  middle  of  tiie  Arctic  summer,  and 
tlie  weather  was  almost  uniformly  fine  and  very 
delightful.  Largo  quantities  of  ice  continually  £  >• 
peared,  but,  as  a  rule,  in  a  much  broken  up  condition, 
so  that  the  steamer  had  little  difficnlrv  in  forcinjj^  her 
"wav  throuiih  it,  althouii;!!  now  and  then  the  heavv 
floes  would  close  in  about  her,  and  with  every  sail  i^et, 
and  the  engines  under  full  steam,  she  would  iro  boriny; 
and  pushing  her  way  through  them  into  open  water 
again.  Had  a  gale  sprung  up  while  this  was  being 
done  the  captain's  skill  would  have  been  taxed  to  save 
tlie  vessel  from  injury,  for  solid  and  heavy  as  she  was 
she  would  at  times  collide  witii  an  unusually  big  floe 
^vith  such  violence  as  to  recoil  several  yards,  before 
again  gathering  way,  and  charging  her  obstinate  oppo- 
nent. These  collisions  sometimes  produced  very 
ludicrous  consequences,  the  sharp  shock  tumbling  over 
meuibers  of  the  ship's  company  who  were  unpre})ared 
for  such  a  sudden  stoppage.  Poor  Patsy  was  one  of 
the  worst  sufferers,  for  once  while  in  the  act  of  carry- 
ing a  tureen  of  soup  to  the  dinner  table  lie  was  sent 
headlong,  the  tureen  being  dashed  to  fragments  at  his 
i(i^i^  and  he  himself  half-drowned  in  its  hot  contents. 
Fortunately,  the  soup  was  not  hot  enough  to  scald 
him,  but  it  would  be  hard  to  conceive  a  more  comical 
object  than  he  presented  when  he  got  on  his  feet  again, 
with  the  thick,  greasy  soup  spattered  all  over  his  faee 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


139 


and  chest.  He  was  greeted  with  a  roar  of  laiiirliter  as 
lie  stumbled  into  the  saloon,  and  Captain  Marling, 
enjoying  the  joke  as  keenly  a*'  anybody,  hailed  him 
with  a  hearty  :  "  Look  here,  l\itsy,  tliat's  not  the  pi'o- 
per  way  to  bring  soup  to  tlie  table.  Go  back  and  get 
some  more,  sir,  and  bring  it  to  us  properly,"  which 
order  Patsy  at  once  proceeded  to  execute. 

They  were  discussing  their  future  programme  at  the 
table  that  day,  and  the  captain  for  the  first  time 
revealed  a  project  that  he  liad  ciierished  from  the  out- 
set, but  which  he  had  not  intended  to  foHow  out  unless 
he  should  be  favored  with  good  fortune  in  his  whale 
fi.-hing.  This  project  was  nothing  less  than  to  push 
on  from  Howe's  AVelcome  through  Lyon  Iidet  into 
the  wide  waters  of  Fox  Channel,  hunt  whales  there 
until  the  tanks  were  well  filled,  and  then,  keeping 
still  northward  past  the  Melville  Peninsula,  venture 
through  Fury  and  Ilecla  Strait  into  the  great  Gulf 
of  Boothia,  seeking  a  cosy  corner  of  Committee  J>ay 
to  winter  in,  and  the  following  spring  going  on  still 
northward  to  Lancaster  Sound,  thence  eastward  to  the 
IJaffin  Sea,  and,  turning  southward,  steer  through  Davis' 
Straits  into  the  broad  Atlantic,  and  so  home  again. 

It  was  a  daring  scheme,  and  as  full  of  fascination 
for  men  of  spirit  as  it  was  full  of  thought  for  men  of 
reflection.  Both  classes  were  well  represented  in  the 
little  group  that  listened  to  the  captain  unfolding  it, 
and  if  at  first;  with  the  exception  of  imperturbable  old 
Peter  Strum,  their  breath  was  taken  aw  ay  by  its  bold- 


>m 


^ 


i: 


lii^^^^i 


140 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


ness,  they  soon  regained  their  composure,  and  settled 
down  to  discuss  tiie  matter  calmly,  Harold  listeniii*^ 
with  all  his  might,  and  hoping  no  less  intently  that  liis 
father  would  have  his  own  wav. 

The  pros  and  cons  were  simply  these :  No  one  on 
board  had  ever  been  in  those  ice-bound  waters  before, 
the  best  charts  of  them  were  little  more  than  guess- 
work, and  the  prospect  of  a  long,  dark  Arctic  winter 
away  up  in  the  heart  of  that  mysterious  region  could 
hardly  be  called  a  pleasing  one,  so  that  aside  from  the 
ordinary  perils  of  Northern  navigation,  such  as  being 
nipped  by  the  floes,  or  smashed  into  by  an  iceberg,  or 
wrecked  by  a  storm,  there  were  good  grounds  for 
hesitation. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  was  much  to  be  said  in 
support  of  the  scheme.  Gallant  old  Connnander 
Baffin,  in  a  small  and  crazy  vessel  of  only  lifty-livo 
tons,  had  penetrated  successfully  the  then  undiscovei'ed 
regions,  part  of  which  now  appropriately  jierpetuates 
his  name;  and  if  his  poor  ship  was  equal  to  the 
ordeal,  how  much  more  the  strong  and  sturdy  "  Nar- 
whal," more  than  ten  times  her  size !  In  every  man 
who  is  a  man  the  spirit  of  adventure  and  discovery  is 
strong,  and  here  was  a  famous  chance  to  give  it  free 
exercise.  The  route  Captain  Mailing  proposed  to 
take  was  comparatively  unknown.  Few  ships,  and 
certainly  no  whalers,  had  ever  been  over  it.  Who 
could  say  M'hat  discoveries  might  not  be  made  by 
enterprising  men   having   every  possible  advantage, 


UP   AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


141 


id  ill 

aiidcr 

y-five 

vered 

uatcs 

the 

S^ar- 

Dum 

rv  is 

free 

d  to 

and 

Wiio 

e  by 

tage, 


wlicn  such  wonders  liad  been  acconiplished  by  others 
not  one-iialf  so  well  equipped?  There  were  provi- 
sions on  board  for  two  full  years  at  least,  fuel  in 
abundance,  furs  in  plenty  for  every  body — nothing  lack- 
ing, in  fact,  that  Arctic  explorers  would  need. 

All  this  Ca})tain  Marling  laid  before  his  listeners 
w  ith  an  earnestness  that  made  him  positively  eloquent, 
and  it  was  not  long  ere  Frank  Lewis  became  as  enthu- 
siastic as  himself.     Dr.  Linton  was  the  next  convert, 
and  then,  more  slowlv,  the  tw^o  entjineers.     As  for  the 
old  mate,  what  the  captain  thought,  he  thought;  and 
that  was  an  end  of  the  matter  for  him.     There  were, 
however,  two  members  of  the  gronp   that  had  been 
gathered  together   for  consultation  who  very  clearly 
did  not  yield  to  the  captain's  persuasive  eloquence. 
These  were  the  two  sealers  shipped  at  St.  John's,  New- 
foundland, by  name  Joseph  Collins  and  Lemuel  Stacey. 
They  were,  by  no   means,  attractive  men,  and  more 
than  once  Captain   Marling  regretted  having  taken 
them  on    board ;     for  although  their   experience   in 
Northern  navigation  was  very  valuable  at  times,  still, 
upon  the  whole,  their  assistance  was  never  absolutely 
indispensable.  And  they  were  both  such  rough,  sullen, 
sclHsh  men  that  their  presence  was  a  positive  blight ; 
:ind  evervbodv  alwavs  felt  much  relieved  when  thev 
took  themselves  off  in  the  evenings  to  their  own  state 
room,  which  fortunately  was,  as  a  rule,  quite  early. 

Tiiey  had  listened  to  the  discussion  without  taking 
part,  not  speaking  until  appealed  to  by  the  captain, 


ITT" 


142 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICK-FLOES. 


infill 


"when  Collins,  in  liis  grim  way,  urged  a  number  of 
objections  against  the  scheme;  and,  finding  tluni,  one 
by  one,  met  and  overcome  by  the  others,  rehip.scd  into 
a  sulky  silence,  from  which  he  refused  to  be  drawn 
again.  Stacey,  on  liis  part,  iiad  nothing  to  say  at  ail, 
but  evidently  gave  tacit  support  to  his  countryman. 
Yet  their  silence  by  no  means  meant  assent ;  and,  as 
uill  be  seen  farther  on,  their  opposition,  instead  of 
dying  away,  became  of  increasing  strength,  and  event- 
ually bore  very  troublesome  fruit. 

Dav  succeeded  dav  of  sunshine  and  warmth,  and  thcv 
were  easv  times  on  board  the  "Narwhal."  The  fires 
were  put  out  in  order  to  save  coal,  and,  under  a  fair 
press  of  sail,  the  steamer  bowled  pleasantly  along, 
tacking  hither  and  thither  according  as  the  ever-pres- 
ent ice  required,  or  as  the  captain  might  direct.  He  was 
in  no  hurry.  He  would  have  liked  ver}^  much  to 
come  across  a  couple  more  whales,  and  the  crow's  nest 
was  never  without  its  sharp-eyed  watcher.  But  he 
knew  verv  well  that  Ausjust  was  usuall v  a  blank  month 
for  the  whalers.  Just  why  it  was  so,  none  could  tell. 
Tliat  it  was  so,  all  coidd  testify  from  actual  experience; 
and  so  he  was  not  disappointed  at  the  time  passing 
Avithout  any  whales  making  their  appearance. 

There  was  one  desire  the  captain  was  anxious  to 
gratify,  and  that  was  to  do  some  sealing  before  the 
winter  set  in.  Tlie  best  time  for  that  had,  of  course, 
already  passed  ;  but  away  up  in  these  vast  solitudes, 
where  they  were  rarely,  if  ever  disturbed,  they  must 


mmmmmrn. 


mm 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


143 


.^tillho  found  in  plenty;  and  to  .socnre  a  fow  tliousaiid 
(if  their  pelts  would  be  ii  very  good  way  of  tilling  in 
the  month.     At  Repulse  Bay  the  captain  had  his  wish. 

The  *•  Narwhal"  had  been  brought  to  anchor  tiiere 
for  a  day  or  two,  and  became  surrounded  at  night  by 
ail  immense  ice  pack,  upon  Avhich,  when  morning 
broke,  seals  were  discovered  in  great  numbers.  Imme- 
diately the  steamer  was  thrown  into  the  liveliest  ex- 
citement. Not  a  man  stopped  to  think  of  breakfast; 
but,  snatching  up  a  ship's  biscuit,  crammed  it  into  his 
mouth  or  his  pocket,  and,  grasping  a  liand  sj)ike,  an 
iron  belay ing-pin,  or  whatever  else  woidd  serve  as  a 
club,  hurried  on  to  the  ice  in  piu'suit  of  the  seals. 

Of  these,  there  were  many  thousands  scattered  over 
a  o;reat  field  of  fairlv  level  ice  which  had,bv  the  force  of 
the  wind,  been  consolidated,  so  that  there  were  few  open 
spaces  ;  and  consequently  there  was  no  danger  in  going 
about.  Captain  Marling  was  one  of  the  first  upon  the 
ice,  Harold  following  close  in  his  wake,  and  they  were 
soon  in  the  midst  of  the  slauu-hter.  It  was  indeed  a 
slaughter.  The  poor  seals  made  hardly  any  attempt 
to  resist  or  escape,  although  here  and  there  a  big  bull 
would  bravelv  show  fiirlit,  onlv  to  be  knocked  over 
ignominiously  for  his  pains.  The  clubs  were  plied 
vigorously  by  the  powerful  sailors — the  two  New- 
Ibiindlanders,  Collins  and  Stacey,  being  particularly 
active,  and  looking  positively  happy  for  once,  as  with 
tremendous  blows  they  knocked  their  prey  over,  on 
right  and  left. 


'm 


\\fiii 


■'il;^ 


i 

; 

144 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Harold  soon  got  very  sick  of  the  business.  The 
seals  seemed  so  helpless,  and  there  was  something 
wonderfully  appealing  and  pathetic  about  the  expres- 
sion of  the  smaller  ones,  as,  apparently  recognizing 
the  futility  of  attempting  to  escape,  they  lay  panting 
on  the  ice,  and  looked  up  into  the  faces  of  their  pur- 
suers. 

"  Come  along,  Hal,"  cried  his  father,  noticing  that 
the  bov  hunii:  back,  and  did  not  seem  inclined  to  follow 
the  retreating  seals.  *'  You've  got  a  good  club. 
Don't  waste  any  time.  There'll  soon  be  no  seals 
left." 

*•  No,  father.  I  guess  not.  I  don't  like  this  work. 
It  seems  too  cruel,"  replied  Harold,  respectfully. 

"  All  right,  my  boy,"  answered  the  captain,  appre- 
ciating Hai'old's  motives.  "  I  won't  urge  you.  Do 
just  as  you  please."  And  then,  as  he  hastened  olF 
after  the  others,  he  added  :  "  Don't  go  far  away.  The 
ice  may  change  at  any  time." 

''  I'll  take  good  care,  father,"  said  Harold.  And, 
turning  off*  to  the  right,  he  went  over  to  the  edge  of 
the  ice  field,  where  the  open  water  was.  He  had  not 
been  there  long  before  an  incident  occurred  that  made 
the  operation  of  seal  killing  more  distasteful  than  ever. 

Tiie  poor  seal  has  a  hard  time  of  it.  In  the  water 
the  sharks  and  the  sword  fish  pursue  him  with  unap- 
peasable maws,  and  when  to  escape  from  them  he  be- 
takes himself  to  the  ice,  the  polar  bear,  Esquimaux, 
and  scalers  give  him  no  peace.    Even  the  sun  becomes 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


145 


)iir 


seals 


And, 

pgQ  of 

id  not 

made 

ever. 

^vatel* 

iinap- 
Ihe  be- 
Luiaux, 

icomes     #1 


^.is  enemy,  by  raising  blisters  on  his  back,  tliat  cause 
liini  intense  suffering,  and  make  him  dread  returning 
to  the  water;  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  if  found  by 
.stealers  in  that  condition,  and  puslied  off  the  ice  into 
tiie  water,  he  will  scramble  back  on  to  the  fioe  at  their 
very  fnQt,  seeming  to  prefer  death  by  their  clubs  to 
fiirtlier  sufferins:. 

It  happened  that  several  of  these  strange  sea  mon- 
sters, called  sword  fish,  were  in  waiting  at  the  edge  of 
tlie  ice.  No  doubt  they  had  followed  the  seals  thither, 
and  driven  them  up  on  the  ice.  The  sealei"S  were  now 
acting  in  their  favor  by  driving  their  prey  back  to 
tiiein  again.  As  Harold  stood  near  the  jagged  edge 
of  the  ice  floe,  a  little  band  of  seals,  fleeing  from  their 
human  enemies,  scuttled  swiftly  })ast  him  and  })lunged 
into  the  water,  that  looked  so  like  a  haven  of  security. 
])ut,  alas,  for  them !  it  was  nothing  of  the  kind. 
Hardly  had  the  green  water  closed  over  tiiem  than 
they  reappeared  at  the  surface,  barking  and  lashing 
the  water  as  if  in  a  state  of  frenzy. 

At  first  Harold,  watching  them  with  breathless  in- 
terest, could  not  make  out  the  cause  of  this  disturb- 
ance. But  presently  it  became  clear  enough.  The 
sword  fish  were  in  the  midst  of  the  helpless  seals, 
which,  barking,  splashing,  diving,  sought  in  every  way 
to  evade  their  greedy  enemies.  The  commotion  was 
tremendous,  and  soon  the  crimson  hue  of  the  water 
told  that  more  than  one  seal  had  fallen  victin)s  to  the 
cruel  sword.     Thrilled  with  excitement,  wishing  with 


■H 


I 


146 


UP   AMONG   TUE   ICE-FLOES. 


m-i*: 


all  his  heart  that  he  could  ttike  the  part  of  tlie  seals, 
but,  (^f  course,  utterly  powerless  to  do  so,  Harold 
watched  this  one-sided  struggle  going  on.  And  iIilu 
a  very  I'eniarkable  thing  happened.  The  seals  were 
now  climbling  back  upon  the  ice,  quite  regardless  of 
the  boy's  presence,  of  M-hich,  indeed,  they  seenicd 
quite  unconscious.  About  ten  yards  away  Harold 
noticed  a  small  seal  swimmintr  straight  toward  him 
witli  all  its  might,  and  not  fixr  behind  it  a  huge 
sword  fish,  evidently  in  hot  pursuit.  The  seal,  for- 
tunately for  it,  had  a  head  start,  which  would  just 
about  enable  it  to  reach  the  ice,  and  this  it  succeeded 
in  doing  the  instant  before  the  sword  fi?h,  conn ng  on 
with  a  terrible  rush,  furious  with  disappointment, 
dashed  its  mighty  weapon  into  the  ice  at  the  very  spot 
whei'e  its  intended  victim  had  escaped.  The  ice,  thick 
as  it  was,  trembled  with  the  force  of  the  blow,  and  the 
terrified  seal,  uttering  most  piteous  cries,  hurried 
toward  Harold,  who  was  standing  spellbound  at  this 
wonderful  sight,  and  before  he  could  move,  placed  its 
shiny  head  between  his  two  knees  in  unmistakable 
ap))eal. 

Harold  was  so  astonished  that  he  hardly  knew  what 
to  do,  but  mechanically  stooped  down  and  patted  the 
head  of  the  seal,  just  as  if  it  were  a  dog.  The  poor, 
liuntcd  creature  looked  up  at  him  with  eyes  of  won- 
derful softness  and  beauty,  and  there  and  then  Haivjld 
determined  within  himself  that  if  it  were  possible  to 
get  the  seal  safely  to  the  steamer  he  would  adopt  it  as 


UP  AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


147 


I. 


his  pet,  and  perhaps  take  it  back  to  Halifax  with 
liim. 

Silting  down  on  tlie  ice,  he  took  tlie  creature's  soft, 
siMootii  liead,  all  dri])ping  as  it  was,  between  ijis  iiands 
and  fondled  it  tenderlv.  Siraiiije  to  sav,  it  made  no 
resistance  whatever.  On  the  contrary,  it  seemed  to 
tlioroui2;idv  trust  the  kindness  of  its  new-found  friend, 
and  its  pantings  and  raoanings  ceased  altogether  as  it 
lav  rcstfuUv  at  ids  feet.  Harold  was  full  of  deliy-ht. 
He  liad  often  read  of  seals  making  capital  pets.  In 
fact,  there  had  been  two  in  a  pond  in  the  Public 
Gardens  at  lionie  for  some  time,  that  he  had  frecpiently 
visited,  and  had  seen  them  allow  their  keeper  to  play 
with  them  as  if  they  were  puppies.  He  was  not  long 
in  making  up  his  mind,  therefc^re,  to  adopt  this  seal 
that  had  come  to  him  so  strangely,  as  liis  pet. 

But  how  was  he  to  get  it  to  the  "  Xarwhal  "  ?  That 
was  a  problem  which  had  to  be  solved  first,  and  it  did 
not  look  like  an  altoi^ether  easv  one.  To  earrv  the 
creature  was  ont  of  the  question.  It  was  quite  too 
heavy,  even  if  it  did  not  object  to  being  treated  like  a 
baby.  To  lead  it  was  no  le?s  impracticable.  There 
s>eemed  but  one  way  of  meeting  the  case,  and  that  was 
to  drive  the  seal.  Harold  held  a  light  club  in  his 
liand,  and  getting  beliind  his  voluntary  captive  he 
waved  it  over  its  back,  at  the  same  time  saying,  in 
encouraging  tones  :  "Get  up,  ik)w,  Sidney.  Off  you 
go.     Make  for  the  steamer  as  fast  as  you  can." 

At  first  the  seal  went  very  well,  and  by  shaking 


1-.    m 


m\ 


148 


UP  AMO>G   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


the  club  to  right  or  left,  as  tlie  case  required,  Harold 
w&H  able  to  uiake  it  keep  a  pretty  straigiit  course  for  its 
destination.  But  after  going  iialf  the  distance  it  got 
tired,  and  s^oenied  to  think  that  it  was  already  (niite 
far  enough  from  the  water;  for,  in  spite  of  the  threai- 
ening  club,  it  turned  around  and  refused  to  advance  an 
incli,  sending  forth  a  pitiful  moaning  that  was  almost 
Inmian  in  iis  expression. 

Harold  did  his  best  to  coax  it  along,  saying,  reas- 
suringly :  ''Come  along,  Shincy.  I  won't  liurt  you. 
I'll  be  so  good  to  you !  Oh,  come  along,  won't  you?" 
But  Sidney  was  proof  against  all  Ins  blandishments, 
and  in  his  despair  he  was  about  to  try  and  pick  the 
ungrateful  animal  up,  when  Lewis  came  along,  and 
seeing  Harold's  predicament,  called  out :  "  Hello, 
Hal  !     What  are  you  about  there  ?  " 

Harold   was   immensely   relieved    at  hearing    his 
friend's  voice,  and  started  to  him. 

"  I've  got  a  prize.     Come  and  help  me  get  it  to  the 
steamer." 

Lewis  came  over  to  him  at  once,  and  Harold  told 
him  briefly  how  the  seal  had  come  into  his  possession. 
"  Indeed,  this  is  a  remarkable  seal,"  said  Lewis,  on 
liearing  the  account.     "  I'll  help  you  got  him  to 
steamer."   And  picking  the  creature,  which  vainly  tri. 
to  escape,  up  in  his  strong  arms,  he  bore  it  off  to  the 
*•  Narwhal,"  just  as  though  it  had  been  a  tired  child. 
Captain  Marling  readily  gave  his   consent   to  the 
seal  being  kept  on  board,  and  a  big  tub  was  at  once 


M 


ll 

1 

Ml'' 

Km 

iJ 

1 

1 

cm 

UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


149 


filled  witli  water  and  placed  near  the  foremast,  so  tl.at 
It  ooiild  bathe  wlienever  it  widied.  Manv  a  time  in 
the  long  and  dreary  days  that  were  yet  to  come  did 
Harold  feel  thankful  for  tlie  good  fortune  whicii  threw 
Hhiney  in  his  way,  fur  he  made  a  most  interesting 
pet.     •  ^ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


GATHERING  CLOUDS. 


1 

■ 

1 

ill 

THE  seal  hunt  had  been  very  successful,  over  five 
thousand  pelts  Iiaving  been  taken,  and  one  of 
tlie  larirest  tanks  had  been  filled  with  the  blubber. 

*'  Now  if  I  can  only  get  a  few  ^A'alrus,"  said  Cap- 
tain Mai-ling,  reviewing  with  profound  satisfaction  the 
results  of  the  day's  operations,  "I  shall  be  very  well 
content." 

He  had  not  to  Malt  I0112:  before  his  wish  in  this 
direction  was  gratified  also.  They  were  in  a  very 
good  place  for  walrus,  the  fi.<h  being  exceedingly 
plentiful,  and  these  ugly  monsters  were  frequently 
sighted  from  the  crow's  rest.  They  proved  very  wary 
and  difficult  of  approach,  however,  and  for  some  time 
all  attempts  upon  them  were  fruitless.  At  length  the 
tide  of  fortune  turned  in  favor  of  the  hunters.  One 
day  the  lookout  reported  a  number  of  black  objects, 
looking  very  much  like  walrus,  as  lying  upon  the  ice- 
field a  good  distance  from  the  water,  and  therefore 
easily  to  be  attacked.  Captain  Marling  ordered  out 
three  boats, — in  one  of  which  he  went  himself,  taking 
Harold  with  him, — and  filled  with  men  eager  for  the 
fray  they  pulled  rapidly  toward  the  spot  indicated  by 

the  lookout. 
160 


UP  AMONG  TPIE  ICE-FLOES. 


151 


Landing  upon  the  ice  in  tlie  most  cautious  way  pos- 
sible, tlie  hunters,  leaving  two  men  in  charge  of  each 
boat,  spread  out  in  a  long  line,  and  advanced  U})on 
tlieir  prey.  The  huge  creatures  were  sunning  them- 
selves in  a  level  portion  of  the  field  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  edge  of  the  ice.  Fortunately,  the 
wind  was  blowing  from  them  toward  the  men.  Had 
it  been  otherwise  tlie  presence  of  tlie  intruders  would 
have  been  detected  at  once,  even  though  they  them- 
selves had  been  invisible.  Creeping  along  on  all-foui"s, 
and  using  every  inequality  in  the  ice  to  conceal  their 
a})proacli,  the  hunters  got  within  fifty  yards  of  tlieir 
game  without  being  detected.  Their  concealment  was 
no  longer  possible  owing  to  the  level  character  of  the 
ice,  and  rising  to  tlieir  feet,  they  cocked  their  guns, 
and  drawing  their  lines  close,  hastened  to  the  attack. 

They  were  well  prepared  for  the  fray.  The  capuiin, 
licwis,  the  surgeon,  and  the  engineers,  all  carried 
AVinchester  repeaters  of  the  best  make.  Even  Haiold 
had  a  small  rifle  of  the  same  kind,  ••hich  he  had 
kanied  to  handle  very  cleverly  under  Lewis'  careiul 
tuition.  Several  of  the  men  carried  rifles  and  shot- 
guns, and  the  rest  had  harpoons  and  lances,  so  that  the 
chances  of  the  prey  did  not  seem  very  bright  as  this 
line  of  well-armed  men  moved  down  upon  iheni. 
But  they  did  not  show  the  least  alarm.  On  the  con- 
trarv,  tliev  faced  their  foe  with  a  look  that  seemed  to 
hav  :  "  Who  are  vou  ?  and  what  do  von  mean  bv  dis- 

•  *  WW 

turbimi:  us  in  this  rude  manner  ?  " 


li 


mi 
iWHili 


152 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOE3. 


The  appearance  of  men  was  evidently  a  novelty  to 
them,  and  they  would  consider  the  sitnation  a  moment 
before  deciding  whether  to  fight  or  flee.  They  were 
fifteen  in  number — four  huge  bulls,  as  manv  voung 
calves,  and  the  rest  cows.  Thev  were  extraordiuarilv 
grotesque  and  gruesome-looking  creatures,  as  they 
lifted  their  heads  and  stared  at  the  oncoming  met:, 
sniffing  in  a  fierce  wav  that  showed  their  uneasiness. 
Thev  much  resembled  exagijerated  seals  in  bodv,  but 
their  heads,  with  the  long,  shining  tusks,  the  forest  of 
bristles  standing  out  a^'  over  the  nose,  the  sharp, 
wicked  eyes,  had  little  of  the  seal  about  them,  and 
Harold  involuntarily  shrank  behind  his  father,  say- 
ing :  "  What  awful  brutes  !  They'd  Ivill  the  whole  of 
us  if  they  got  a  chance." 

''  Fire  at  the  bulls  ;  never  mind  the  others,"  cried 
the  captain,  and  the  next  instant  the  crack-crack-crack 
of  the  Winchesters  told  that  the  battle  had  begun. 
The  bullets  were  well  aimed.  All  four  of  the  bulls 
were  wounded.  ]5ut  not  one  of  them  fatally,  and 
while  the  cows  and  calves,  terrified  at  the  report  of 
the  rifles,  made  oft'  as  fast  as  they  could  go,  pursued 
by  some  of  the  sailors,  the  males,  maddened  by  their 
wounds,  charged  down  upon  their  foes  with  such  vigor 
as  to  cause  an  immediate  stampede.  Huge  and 
clumsy  as  they  M'ere,  their  immense  strength  enabled 
them  to  get  over  the  ice  with  surprising  speed, and  could 
they  have  turned  as  rapidly  as  they  coidd  go  ahead, 
they  would  have  been  awkward  customers  to  handle. 


w 


» 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


153 


As  it  was,  tlie  ca})tain  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
them,  for  in  turning  suddenly  to  avoid  their  ciiarge, 
lie  tri[)ped  and  fell  headlong,  his  gun  flying  far  out  of 
his  reach. 

"Great  heavens  !  the  captain's  down  ! "  cried  Lewis, 
the  first  to  observe  his  chief's  danger,  for  a  great  bull, 
looking  terrible  in  his  rage,  was  almost  upon  him. 
Quick  as  thought  he  raided  his  rifle.  But  a  cartridge 
had  jammed  and  it  refused  fire.  Swinging  it  by  the 
uuizzle,  he  sprang  forward,  intending  to  use  it  as  a  club, 
when  the  sharp  crack  of  another  rifle  rang  out,  and 
the  furious  monster,  slung  in  tlie  neck  by  a  well-aimed 
bullet,  turned  with  a  roar  upon  its  new  assailant,  giving 
the  captain  time  to  scramble  to  his  feet,  and  regain  his 
rifle. 

Once  it  was  in  his  hands  a  succession  of  shots, 
fired  as  fast  as  the  gun  would  work,  was  pourtd  into 
the  walrus'  broad  breast,  and  he  fell  helpless  upon  the 
iee  bleeding  from  a  dozen  wounds.  Not  until  then 
had  he  time  to  see  who  it  was  whose  timely  shot  had 
districted  the  walrus'  attention  at  that  critical  moment 
when  its  terrible  tusks  seemed  to  be  almost  right  over 
him,  and  what  was  his  surprise  and  delight  to  find  that 
it  WMS  his  own  son,  who,  rifle  in  hand,  came  up,  ex- 
claiming: "Hurrah,  father!  I  saved  you.  It  was 
1  shot  him  in  the  neck." 

"God  bless  you,  my  boy ! "  cried  the  captain,  throw- 
ing his  ;ums  around  Harold  and  giving  hiiu  a  hug 
worthy  of  a  bear.     **You  did,  indeed.     But  for  that 


■■;i 


154 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE  Fl.OES. 


shot  the  brute  would  have  had  me  sure.  But  now 
we've  got  him,  aud  you  shall  have  the  tusks  for  your 
good  shot."  • 

The  tusks  were  very  fine  ones,  fully  two  feet  long, 
and  Harold  felt  very  proud  of  his  prize,  as  well  as  of 
his  timely  assistance  to  his  father.  By  this  lime  two 
more  of  the  bulls  had  beeu  slain,  but  tlie  fourth,  the 
youugest  and  most  active  of  all,  had  made  off  toward 
the  water  with  such  celerity,  although  already  wounded 
in  more  than  one  place,  that  ere  its  progress  could  be 
checked  it  hod  reached  the  spot  where  the  boats  lay  iu 
wailing.  Then  it  caught  sight  of  the  boats,  aud  saw 
its  oi)portunity  for  revenge.  Plunging  into  the  water 
as  if  to  disappear  altogether  it  rose  suddenly  at  the 
stern  of  one  of  them  aud  lifting  its  head  dealt  a  pow- 
erful blow  with  its  tusks,  crushing  through  the  light 
timbers  as  though  they  had  been  paper,  and  cansiug 
the  men,  who  were  quite  unarmed,  to  spring  out  on  to 
the  ice  with  amazini;  celeritv. 

But  in  seekiuir  revemre  it  found  its  own  destruction, 
for  its  tusks  were  so  embedded  in  the  tough  wood- 
work of  the  boat  that  it  could  not  withdraw  them, 
and  one  of  the  engineers  coming  up  at  the  call  of  the 
boatmen,  put  half  a  dozen  bullets  in  its  head,  thus 
completing  a  fine  day's  work. 

Tlie  hunt  had  beeu  entirelv  successful.  All  four 
of  the  big  bidls  and  the  same  number  of  the  cows 
lay  stretched  upon  the  ice,  the  calves  being  allowed  to 
get  off  scot  free.     The  bulls  were  enormous  creatures, 


ha 


it  now 
►r  your 

t  loii^s 
il  as  of 
me  two 
•th,  the 
toward 
oiunled 
3uld  be 
s  lay  ill 
nd  saw 
e  water 
;  at  the 
a  pow- 
le  light 
causing 
It  ou  to 


uction, 
wood- 

V  them, 
of  the 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


155 


l( 


1,  thus 


11  four 
le  cows 
)wcd  to 
cat  u  res, 


weighing  not  less  than  a  ton  apiece,  and  their  blubber 
would  be  well  worth  the  trouble  of  fliuching  them, 
Avhile  their  tusks  and  hide  would  each  be  of  great 
value  in  their  way  ;  so  that  Captain  Marling  was  iu 
great  humor,  as  he  well  might  be,  at  the  results  of 
their  first  walrus  hunt. 

From  Repulse  Bay,  where  she  had  made  so  pleas- 
ant and  proiitable  a  stay,  the  "Narwhal"  sailed  out 
through  Lyon  Inlet,  and  past  Baffin's  Island  into  tlie 
broad  waters  of  the  Fox  Channel,  now  fairlv  clear 
of  ice.  Here  Captain  Marling  hoped  to  secme  a 
couple  more  whales,  and  if  they  were  good,  hirgc 
ones,  he  would  be  content,  as  with  the  whale  blul)ber 
already  secured,  and  that  from  seals  and  walrus  sub- 
sequently  added,  his  tanks  were  pretty  full,  and  the 
iiiiancial  success  of  his  expedition  placed  beyond  a 
doubt. 

He  had  not  yet  published  his  plan  already  men- 
tioned to  his  men,  and  thought  that  they  knew  noth- 
ing about  it.  He  quite  ex})ected  some  demurring  on 
their  part,  for  although  they  had  shipped  with  him  on 
the  understanding  that  the  voyage  might  continue  for 
eighteen  months  should  he  so  desire  it,  still  in  vie'.v 
of  the  full  tanks,  and  of  the  natural  eagerness  of  tlie 
men  to  realize  upon  their  shares,  besides  the  equally 
natural  reluctance  to  tempt  the  unknown  perils  of  an 
Arctic  winter,  he  felt  siu'c  they  would  do  their  best  to 
jKisuade  him  to  turn  about  after  the  Fox  Channel 
had  been  Ininted  over,  and  drop  down  past  South- 


III' 


m 


n 


i 

Is 

'  1 ; '  1 

iill 

|i 

,  -  ,\* 

156 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


anipton  Island  into  Hudson's  Straits  and  tiicnce  home- 
ward. 

Strict  injunctions  had  been  laid  upon  those  wlioni 
he  had  taken  into  his  contidence  not  to  sav  one  word 
until  he  deemed  the  time  liad  come,  and  so  far  he  had 
seen  no  reason  to  imagine  that  tliese  injnuetions  had 
been  disobeyed.  Nevertheless,  they  had  been,  and  evil 
counsel  was  already  at  work  among  his  men,  sowing 
seeds  of  dissension  that  were  to  bear  the  black  fruit 
of  death  in  the  near  future. 

But  the  captain  knew  nothing  of  this,  and  sailed 
straight  on  up  Fox  Channel,  or  took  a  slant  to  right 
or  left,  according  as  he  thought  the  chances  would  be 
best  for  whales.  The  good  fortune  which  had  be- 
fallen him  in  Howe's  Welcome  did  not  desert  him; 
for  three  days  after  entering  the  channel  a  regular 
school  of  whales  was  sighted  from  the  crow's  nest, 
and  every  one  of  the  boats  was  despatched  in  hot  pur- 
suit. Harold  did  not  accom})any  Lewis  this  time,  for 
although  his  father  had  not  forbidden  him  to  do  so,  he 
knew  he  would  feel  more  comfortable  if  he  remained 
on  board,  and  as  it  turned  out  he  had  good  reason  to 
congratulate  himself  on  his  action. 

The  whales  were  at  least  a  dozen  in  nund)er,  and 
when  first  sighted  were  more  than  a  mile  from  the 
steamer.  But  their  course  led  them  nearer,  and  by 
the  time  the  boats  reached  them  they  were  not  more 
than  half  a  mile  away,  so  that  Harold,  perched  up  in 
his  favorite  eyrie  in  the  main  crosstrees,  had  a  fine 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


157 


liled 


view  of  all  tliat  went  on.  The  six  boats  liad  started 
close  touetlier,  and  were  now  spread  out  in  a  sort  of 
semicircle,  advancin<^  swiftly  upon  their  prey,  wliicli 
were  still  ignorant  of  their  approach.  Tiiis  ijjjnorancc 
did  not  last  long,  however.  The  two  ouiside  boats 
were  nearest  their  iish,  and  presently  two  sharp  reports 
rang  out,  the  one  right  after  the  other,  and  the  ever- 
Melconic  crv  of  ''A  fall !  a  fall!"  came  from  each  as 
the  well-aimed  harpoons  buried  themselves  in  their 
living  targets. 

Instantly  the  other  whales  dived  out  of  sitrht,  as 
did  those  to  which  the  boats  were  fast,  and  there 
was  nothing  but  the  swishing  water  to  show  "svhcre,  a 
moment  before,  the  great  cetaceans  had  been  display- 
ing their  bulk. 

'•  Give  way,  all,"  shouted  the  steersmen  of  the 
loose  boats,  sweeping  their  light  craft  around  in  pur- 
suit of  the  vanished  monsters. 

"  Stand  by  to  watch  the  line  ! "  cried  the  har- 
pooneers  of  the  fast  boats,  as  their  lines  ran  out  at 
smoking  speed. 

Excitement  reigned  supreme,  but  there  was  no  lack 
of  discipline,  notwithstanding.  Every  man  knew  his 
Mork,  and  gave  his  whole  attention  to  it.  After  an 
iiuerval  of  trying  suspense,  the  whales  began  to  rise 
again  in  ditl'erent  places,  and  soon  the  cry,  "A  fall !  a 
i'ail ! "  announced  that  another  boat  had  been  successfid. 

''  Tiiey  liavetiiree  whales  already,  father,"  screamed 
Harold  in  delight. 


iiti 


li 


158 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


"  Aye,  aye,  ni}''  boy,"  replied  the  ciiptain.  "  If  tliey 
only  bring  them  all  safe  alongside,  we  won't  need  to 
do  anv  more  whalinir." 

Thev  did  eventiiallv  succeed  in  brinfring!;  thcni  all 
alongside,  but  not  until  a  struggle,  tliat  eanie  near 
having  a  lamentable  termination  for  some  of  those 
engaged. 

Three  of  the  boats  being  fast  to  good  big  fish,  the 
other  three  thought  it  best  to  come  to  their  assistance, 
especially  as  the  rest  of  the  whales  had  made  off  at 
such  a  rate,  that  it  would  have  been  useless  to  follow 
them.  One  of  the  fast  boats  was  Collins', — the  dariv- 
browed,  taciturn  Newfoundlander, — and  he  Avas  evi- 
evidently  liaving  such  trouble  with  his  prize,  that 
Lewis,  having  failed  to  get  a  fish  for  himself,  rowed 
up  to  his  aid.  Twice  had  the  great  creature  "sounded," 
taking  almost  the  whole  length  of  line  in  his  mad 
efforts  to  shake  off  his  assailants,  and  each  time  had 
reappeared  at  such  a  distance,  that  ere  the  boat  coidd 
row  up  to  lance  him,  he  had  time  to  recover  his 
breath  and  dive  again.  For  the  third  time  he  rose, 
spouting  out  a  high  column  of  water,  deeply  tinged 
with  blood,  and  now,  happening  to  catch  sight  of  the 
boat,  he  made  straight  for  it,  holding  his  vast  mouth 
wide  open,  as  though  he  would  engulf  it  at  one 
mighty  swallow.  ,      . 

Seeing  the  extremely  perilous  position  of  Collins' 
boat,  Lewis — who  was  lying  at  some  little  distance,  so 
as  to  be  ready  to  afford  assistance  if  necessary — sent 


MBM^J 


UP  AMONG    THE    ICE-FI.OES. 


159 


liis  bont  flying  toward  tho  wlialo,  and  wliile  it  was 
yet  twenty  yards  from  its  intended  victim,  hurled  a 
Imiid  liarpoon  with  splendid  aim  into  a  vital  spot. 
Tlie  pain  of  this  fresii  attack  caused  the  furious 
n)onster  to  swerve  sufficient Iv  from  its  course  to  miss 
the  boat  at  wiiich  it  was  aiming,  but  just  as  it  passed 
it,  threw  its  tail  high  u})  into  the  air,  aiul  brougiit  it 
down  with  a  terrible  crasii,  striking  the  boat  across  the 
how  and  crushing  it  in  as  though  it  had  l)een  an  egg- 
shell. The  men  were  all  thrown  into  the  foaming 
Avnter,  l)ut,  strange  to  say,  not  one  was  hurt — C(»liin3 
having  a  remarkable  escape,  thanks  to  a  lucky  dodge 
out  the  way  as  the  destructive  tail  struck  the  boat. 
It  had  been  better,  both  for  him  and  his  shipmates, 
if  he  had  not  escaped.  They  would,  at  least,  both  have 
boeu  spared  tho  dark  trouble  that  was  drawing  near. 

Lewis'  boat  was  at  hand,  not  only  to  pick  up  the 
nun,  but  to  continue  the  fight  with  the  whale,  and, 
liaving  accom])lished  the  fii'st,  set  to  work  at  the 
second  with  such  vigor,  that  in  fifteen  minutes  more 
the  struggle  was  over,  and  the  prize  made  ready  to  be 
towed  back  to  the  steamer.  One  by  one  the  boats  re- 
turned to  the  "  Narwhal"  ere  darkness  set  in,  and 
before  all  hands  were  })iped  to  supper,  three  largo,  fine 
whnles  were  moored  safely  alongside  as  trophies  of  the 
day's  struggle.  Ca})tain  Marling  deemed  this  a  timely 
occasion  upon  which  todcclare  his  prepared  programme 
of  future  action  to  his  men.  Accordingly,  after  sup- 
per, when   they  might  be  ex|)ected  to  feel  i)i  thor- 


!     W 

[ 
i 

160 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


i 


ouglily  good  liumor — being  well  rested  and  ftd — lie 
snmnioned  them  idl  to  tiie  qutirter-deck,  and  in  the 
course  of  a  brief  address  ouiiined  to  them  his  plans 
for  tl»e  coming  winter. 

To  Ids  great  surprise  the  men  showed  unmistakably 
by  tlieir  manner  that  this  declaration  was  no  surpri-e 
to  them.  They  were,  evidently,  not  only  prepared  to 
hear  it,  but  pi'cpared  to  oppose  it  too,  and  the  captain 
liad  hardly  finisiied  speaking,  before  one  of  tiie  steers- 
men— "Big  Alee,"  as  he  was  known  among  his  ship- 
mates, with  whom  he  was  a  recognized  leader — 
stepped  forward  a  little,  and  on  behalf  the  crew,  pre- 
sented, respectfully  enough,  tiieir  objections  to  the  cap- 
tain's proposition.     They  were,  in  brief,  as  follows  : 

"  AVhen  they  shipped  on  board  the  'Narwiial,' 
they  had  understood  that  the  principal  object  of  the 
voyage  was  tiie  wlialing,  and  complete  success  having 
crowned  their  efforts,  they  thought  they  ought  to  re- 
turn and  reap  the  benefits  of  their  good  fortune.  It 
was  true  that  their  articles  bound  them  to  serve  for 
two  years,  if  the  caprain  desired,  but  they  supposed 
that  provision  was  to  be  enforced  only  in  event  of  an 
unsuccessful  season  at  whaling.  Tiiere  was  nothing 
for  them  to  gain  by  a  winter  in  the  north,  and  they 
Mere  anxious  to  return  to  their  families  that  autumn." 
Then,  emboldened  by  the  attention  witii  which  the  cap- 
tain listened  to  him.  Big  Alec  went  on  to  say  so  much 
about  the  terrors  of  an  Arctic  winter,  tiiat  Captain 
Marling,  who  knew  well  enough  that  he  was  not  speak- 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLO EIS. 


161 


'   !? 


uvf  from  personal  experience,  suddenly  interrupted 
him  with  tiic  question  :  **  What  do  you  Unow  about 
ii?     Who  told  you  all  that  stuff,  sir?''     Taken  abaek 


1)V  th 


: peered  1 


of  the  iute 


at« 


Bi 


ins,  sir, 


mess 
bt'tiaved  the  wliole  matter  :    "  Whv  Mr. 
and  Mr.  Stacey  says  it's  all  true  too." 

Instantly  the  quick-tempered  captain  was  aflame 
Midi  inditi^nation.  "Ah!  ha! "  he  cried.  "That's 
the  kind  of  work  that's  been  going  on,  eh !  So 
vou've  been  listenino;  to  those  hanij-dos;  rascals 
tiiat  I  was  fool  enough  to  take  on  board  at  New- 
foundland ?  Very  well,  sirs.  I  know  how  to  deal 
with  you  and  them.  Go  down  below,  and  let  me  hear 
no  more  of  your  nonsense."  And  turning  his  back 
upon  the  men,  who  looked  crestfallen,  but  obstinate, 
Captain  Marling  retired  to  the  saloon  in  high  dud- 
geon. He  was  no  less  perplexed  than  indignant;  for 
this  interference  of  Collins  and  Stacey  in  his  cherished 
])lans  might  have  very  serious  consequences,  if  not 
jiroperly  dealt  with,  and  he  was  not  quite  clear  in  his 
mind  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue.  All  this  made 
him  feel  unusually  depressed,  and  his  gloom  communi- 
cated itself  to  the  others,  who  soon  learned  what  was 
the  matter,  so  that  the  usually  cheery  gathering  in  the 
saloon  was  under  a  cloud  that  evening,  and  the  mor- 
row was  awaited  with  much  anxiety  by  all. 


Iliii 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


0 


THE  STORM  BREAKS. 

APTAIN  MARLING  spent  an  anxloii.s  troubled 
night,  but  by  inorninsi;  he  had  (juite  decided  upon 
his  course  of  action,  and  [)roceetlcd  to  cany  it  out  with 
his  habitual  proinj)titude.  Immediately  after  break- 
fast, he  called  the  crew  before  bim  iu  the  waist  of  tiie 
ship,  and  sjH)ke  to  them  as  follows: 

"Shipmates,  I  am  more  surprised  than  I  can  tell 
you  that  you  should  try  to  play  me  iiilsc  iu  this  way. 
Have  I  not  always  done  the  scpiare  thing  toward  you; 
paid  you  good  wages,  given  you  good  grub,  treated 
you  like  men?  And  now  I  find  that  you  have  been 
opening  your  ears  to  the  talk  of  those  false  traitors. 
Collins  and  Stacey,  and  you  want  to  turn  back  and  go 
home  instead  of  following  your  captain  as  you  have 
always  done  before.  I  am  astonished,  shipmates,  thiit 
you  should  want  to  treat  me  iu  sucli  a  rascally  way, 
and  now  that  I  know  who  is  at  the  bottom  of  tlio 
mischief  I  am  going  to  serve  them  out  as  they  deserve. 
Before  you  all  I  order  those  tw(^  men  to  be  placed  in 
irons  for  exciting  insubordination  on  board  ship,  and 
to  bejce[)t  in  confinement  until  I  siiall  see  fit  to  i\- 
lease  them.  That's  my  way  of  dealing  with  traitors. 
U2 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


163 


I'oubleil 
led  upon 
out  with 
r  brcak- 
st  of  the 


can 


h 


As  for  you,  nion,  go  to  your  work,  and  lot  me  hear 
no  more  from  you." 

'^I'lierc  was  a  murmur  of  surj)risc  and  protest  from 
tlie  men,  and  hud  tliey  been  given  the  ehanee  tliey 
would  no  doubt  have  spoken,  but  direeting  Sturm  and 
Lewis  to  eany  out  his  orders  with  regard  to  the  New- 
ibundlanders.  Captain  Marling  turned  away  and  went 
back  to  the  (puirter  deek,  where  he  took  up  his  posi- 
tion near  the  stern,  looking  moodily  out  over  the 
water.  It  had  been  better  perhaps  if  lie  had  given 
the  men  an  opportunity  to  reply,  and  undertaken  to 
reason  with  them  a  little.  ]jut  he  felt  so  hurt  and 
indignant  that  they  should  have  listened  for  one 
moment  to  their  evil  advisers  that  he  had  no  patience 
to  argue  with  tluMu,  and  so  determined  to  exercise  his 
authority  as  captain  to  the  fullest  extent. 

Collins  and  Staeey  off'ered  no  resistance  to  being 
])]aced  in  eonfinemenr,  although  the  former  was  heard 
to  nnitter  under  his  breath  that  that  "  coxcomb  of  a 
ca})tain  would  sutfer  dearly  for  this."  They  knew  well 
enough  the  time  was  not  ripe  for  desperate  measures, 
and  that  there  was  no  alternative  save  to  submit,  which 
they  did  with  lowered  brows  and  darkly  gleaming 
oves.    Thev  were  confined  amidships  in  a  sort  of  store- 

k  »  -I. 

room  which  had  recently  been  emptied.  Not  by  any 
means  an  inviting  place,  but  good  enough,  the  captain 
tiiouglit,  for  such  characters. 

Their  advisers  having  been  removed  the  men. went 
back  to  their  work,  but  in  a  sullen  siknce  that  boded 


161 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


no  good.  They  did  not  seem  at  all  like  themselves. 
They  had  three  splendid  whales  to  flinch  and  stow 
away,  and  ordinarily  this  oeenpation  would  have  been 
attended  with  song  and  joke  and  hearty  laughter  as 
the  work  went  merrily  on.  But  now  they  had  neither 
song  nor  joke  nor  laught<3r.  A  heavy  pall  hung  over 
them,  and,  as  a  consecpienee,  they  did  not  work  one 
half  so  fast  or  well.  Captain  Marling  saw  all  this 
clearly  enough,  but  made  light  of  it. 

"They've  just  got  a  fit  of  the  sulks,"  said  he  to 
Lewis.  'They'll  soon  get  over  it  if  we  leave  them 
alone." 

Busy  as  all  were,  the  day  seemed  to  pass  with  ex- 
traordinary slowness.  Harold,  who  had  only  a  dim 
idea  of  what  the  trouble  was,  for  his  father  concealed 
its  niMguitude  from  him  so  far  as  possible,  found 
it  terril)l}  dull  on  board.  Everybody  seemed  pre- 
occupied and  (iisinclined  to  be  sociable,  and  but  for 
the  companionship  of  Patsy  and  his  pet  seal,  Shiney, 
who  was  already  beginning  to  be  very  much  at  home 
and  exceedingly  entertaining,  he  would  have  been 
sorelv  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  with  himself. 
Shiney  proved  a  great  comfort.  He  showed  quite  an 
aj)preci:ition  of  fun,  and  evidently  enjoycnl  a  romj), 
splashing  in  and  out  of  his  tub  at  a  great  rate,  and 
playing  many  cute  little  pranks. 

Evening  brought  with  it  no  easing  of  the  situation, 
and  it  was  clear  that  the  captain  and  his  associates  in 
the  saloon  felt  the  state  of  affairs  to  be  very  serious  as 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


1G5 


they  gathered  togetliei*  for  consultation  after  tea.  To 
liice  the  privations  and  perils  of  a  wijitor  in  the  ice 
w  ith  a  mutinous  erevv  wiis  certainly  not  an  attractive 
j)r<i8pect,  and  yet  to  he  balked  of  a  long-cherished 
prtject,  when  just  on  the  threshold  ot'  its  accomplish- 
ment to  be  compelled  to  turn  about  and  give  it  up; 
— this  was  something  againsi  which  one's  manhood 
sturdily  rebelled.  It  was  a  long  and  earnest  consulta- 
tion that  took  place,  and  Harold,  profoimd  as  was 
h'S  interest,  fell  asleep  before  it  was  finished,  the 
U  !'i -i'li  ultimately  arrived  at  being  to  maintain  a  firm 
front  against  the  men,  dealing  as  sliarj^ly  as  might  be 
necessary  with  any  who  showed  further  signs  of  in- 
subordination. 

The  next  day,  which  was  spent  in  ''niaking  oft','' 
]iassed  pretty  much  as  liad  its  predecessors,  the  work 
being  done  in  silence,  w^th  a  general  air  of  uneasiness 
prevailing  throughout  the  ship.  Harold  and  Patsy, 
who  liad  both  by  this  time  gotten  a  pretty  clear  ink- 
ling of  the  trouble,  talked  much  together  about  it,  and 
more  than  once  crept  cautiously  down  to  the  dark 
storeroom,  where  the  Newfoimdlanders  were  impris- 
oned, to  take  a  peep  at  the  men  who  had  behaved  so 
badly  and  betrayed  the  ca]>tain's  confidence.  Once 
when  they  went  they  foiuid  Big  Akx;  engaged  in  earnest 
conversation  with  the  prisoners,  but  although  he  was 
evidently  very  much  flustered  at  their  seeing  him,  and 
slank  olf  inimediately,  they  did  not  think  the  mcidcnfc 
of  any  importance,  and   said  nothing  about  it.     Had 


1G6 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


they  mentioned  it  to  the  captain,  the  tragedy  tliat  was 
near  at  hand  might  possibly  iiave  been  averted. 

Af'ier  enjoying  freedom  of  a(;tion  fur  more  tlian  a 
week,  tlie  "Xarwlial"  became  beset  by  an  ice  pack 
wliich  snrrunnded  lier  in  all  directions,  and  slie  was 
evidently  a  prisoner  until  there  should  be  a  decided 
cluuiLie  in  the  wind.  Tlie  evening  being  damp  and 
chilly,  no  one  felt  tempted  to  linger  upon  deck,  and 
after  darkness  had  setiled  down  upon  the  steamer  all 
was  quiet  on  board,  tiiere  being  nobody  visible  save 
two  seamen  doini::  dutv  as  the  bow  watch,  crouched  in 
the  shelter  of  the  foremast,  and  Peter  Strum  leaning 
silently  over  the  stern  taffrail.  In  the  saloon  the  ci\\)- 
tnin,  the  second  mate,  the  surgeon,  and  one  of  the 
emxineers  were  seekinsx  a  diversion  of  their  thoiiirhts 
in  a  friendly  game,  and  wei'e  growing  deej)ly  inter- 
ested. The  other  engineer  was  making  additional 
entries  in  the  journal  he  delighted  to  keep,  and 
Harold  was  reading;  fu'  tiie  third  time  one  of  his 
favorite  books,  to  wit,  "  ^Ir.  Mid.-hipman  Easy."  It 
seemed  a  very  peaceful  and  secure  scene,  and  little 
woul<]  (me  have  thought  how  soon  it  was  to  be  rudely 
disturbed. 

It  was  Harold's  custoin  since  Shiney  had  come  into 
his  possessi<m  to  run  up  and  say  "  Good-night''  to 
his  pet  before  going  to  bed.  Sus])ecting  nothing,  he 
went  up  as  usual  this  night,  and  finding  the  seal  in  his 
accustomed  corner  near  the  foremar  t,  was  bending  over 
it  caressing  its  soft,  sleek  head,  when  suddeidy  he  was 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


167 


cauglit  in  a  p(">\verful  grasp,  a  huge  lioniy  liaiul  was 
tiiriir«t  over  his  mouth  so  that  he  could  not  erv  out, 
and  before  he  realized  wiiat  was  being  done  witli  him, 
he  was  borne  off  by  IMij:  Alee  to  tlie  forecastle, 
and  dumped  down  in  tlie  midst  of  the  saiK)rs  witli  the 
steru  injunction:  "Keep  your  mouth  shut,  now,  or 
somethiug'll  l)a})|*en  to  you." 

^Startled  and  bewildered,  Harold  looked  about  him, 
and  among  the  iirst  his  eyes  fell  upon  were  Collins  and 
Stacey,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  lying  in  irons  in  the 
dark  storeroom.  Ciearlv  there  had  been  treacherv 
somewiiere,  and  he  was  at  once  reminded  of  seeing 
]:5ig  Alec  sneaking  away  from  the  placxi  of  the  New- 
f  )undlanders'  confinement.  He  furthci'  noticed  that 
there  was  a  good  *ieal  of  drinking  going  on  among  t!ie 
men.  They  must  iiave  gotten  at  tii'3  spirits  somehow, 
l"or  the  brandy  flowed  freely,  and  all  seemed  to  be  ])ar- 
taking  of  it.  Collins,  who  appeared  to  be  tiie  leader, 
showed  great  satisfaction  at  Harold's  capture. 

"Ah  !  ha!'^  he  said,  with  a  wicked  laugh.  "Now 
we've  got  the  young  cub,  perhaps  the  old  bear  won't 
irrowl  so  loud." 

Captain  Marling  did  not  notice  Harold  goinsjc  out, 
but  after  he  had  been  gone  some  little  time,  he  looked 
up  from  his  game,  and,  missing  him,  exclaimed  : 
'•  Hello  !  what's  become  of  Hal  ?  " 

"  Gone  up  on  deck  lo  say  good-  iii^lit  to  Shiney,  no 
doubt,"  answered  Lewis.  *'  He  alwavs  does  it  befn'e 
he  goes  to  bed." 


168 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


"Well,  it's  about  time  he  was  in  bed,"  said  the  cap- 
tain. "Hi,  there!  Paisy.  llun  up  on  deck  and  tell 
Master  Harold  that  I  want  him." 

Patsy  hurried  off  to  obey,  and  the  game  was  re- 
.stuiied.  Ten,  fifteen,  twenty  minutes  passed,  and 
Patsy  did  not  return. 

"  Plai^ue  the  brat,  what's  keeping  him  so  long?" 
said  Ca{)tLiin  Marling,  testily,  and  ending  the  game 
lie  was  just  about  to  go  up  on  deck  himself,  when 
Patsy  j'u-ihed  into  the  saloon,  his  face  as  white  as 
a  sheet,  and  his  whole  appearance  betokening  great 
agitation. 

"  Hello,  youngster,  what's  the  matter?"  cried  the 
captain,  in  surprise. 

'*  Oh,  sir,  there's  a  great  deal  the  matter,'^  repeated 
Patsy.  "  They've  got  Harold  in  the  forecastle,  aiul 
Mr.  Collins  and  Mr.  Stacey  are  there  too." 

'•  Harold  in  the  forecastle,  and  Collins  and  Stacey 
free  !  Great  heavens  !  what's  the  meaning  of  this  ?  " 
exclaimed  the  captain,  a  sharp  thrill  of  apprehension 
striking  to  his  heart.  Then  he  added,  more  calmly: 
"This  is  bad  business,  shipmates;  we  nmst  look  into 
it  at  once.     Let  us  get  our  revolvers." 

Th.ere  was  some  slight  confusion  as  each  one  hast- 
ened to  his  cabin,  and  returned  revolver  in  hand. 
The  faces  of  all  looked  very  grave.  A  crisis,  whose 
magnitude  it  was  impossible  yet  to  estimate,  was  at 
hand.  The  future  hung  upon  what  might  happen 
within  the  next  tew  minutes. 


■  p 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FI-OES. 


169 


'•  Stay  here  a  moment  while  I  go  on  deck  and  see 
liow  the  land  lies,"  said  Captain  Marling,  as  he  quieily 
left  the  saloon. 

After  a  brief  absence  he  returned,  his  face  looking 
o;raver  than  before. 

"  Things  look  })retty  bad,"  he  reported.  "  The 
men  have  gotten  hold  of  the  spirits  somehow,  and 
many  of  them  are  in  liquor  already.  God  knows 
what  mischief  tliey'U  be  up  to.  I  wish  to  heavtn 
my  boy  were  here.  But  surely  they  won't  do  him  any 
harm." 

They  were  not  left  long  in  doubt  as  to  what  the 
men  had  in  mind,  for  presently  tiiere  was  a  tramp  of 
heavy  and  unsteady  feet  along  the  deck  and  down 
the  companion  way,  which  soon  explained  itself  by 
the  entry  into  the  saloon  of  fully  a  score  of  the 
sailors  with  Collins  and  Stacevat  their  head,  while  Big 
Alec,  holding  Harold  fa>t  in  liis  mighty  grasp,  was 
not  far  behind.  There  could  be  no  mistake  about  the 
purpose  of  the  intruders.  They  had  come  to  bend  the 
ctiptain  to  their  will,  and  in  view  of  the  penalties  to 
which  they  exposed  themselves  by  thus  breaking  into 
open  mutiny,  had  fortified  their  courage  by  potations 
of  brandy  until  they  felt  equal  to  any  excess. 

There  was  a  look  of  dark  leering  triumph  upon 
Collins'  evil  face  as  he  surveyed  the  captain's  little 
baud  tluit,  numbering  only  six  in  all,  now  stood 
toirether  in  tlie  rear  of  the  saloon,  and  then  glanced 
b;ick  over  his  own  supporters,  of  whom  there  were 


170 


Ur    AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


more  than  three  to  one,  while  yet  others  were  on  deck 
awaiiiiig  ilie  issue.  His  imprisonment  liad  tilled  iiiin 
witli  a  wild  passion  for  revenge,  and  lie  was  deter- 
mined to  have  it  regardless  of  all  consequences. 

"  Well,  captain,"  said  he,  fiist  breaktng  the  ominous 
silence,  "  we've  just  come  down  to  say  that  we  don't 
haid^er  tifter  going  any  farther  north  and  that  wc; 
think  it's  about  time  to  right  about  ship,  and  make  tor 
home.     Isn't  that  about  the  size  of  it,  shipmates  ?" 

A  murnuir  of  assent  from  those  behind  expressed 
approval  of  his  words,  and,  with  an  insolent  smile,  he 
awaitetl  a  rei)ly.     It  came  without  delay. 

"  I  am  the  captain  of  this  ship,"  said  the  captain, 
calmly,  yet  steridy,  "and  will  suffer  no  one  to  dispute 
mv  authoritv.  By  this  action  von  have  l)Ccomc  gniltv 
of  mutiny;  and  I  give  you  warning,  all  of  you,  that 
unless  you  leave  this  cabin  at  once,  and  go  back  to 
your  berths,  I  will  hand  you  over  to  the  authorities 
at  the  first  port  we  reach." 

Collins  was  evidently  ready  for  this,  and  it  had  not 
the  slightest  effect  upon  him;  although  some  of  the 
more  sober  of  the  men  winced  slightly,  and  began  to 
look  as  if  they  wished  they  hadn't  come  on  any  such 
errand. 

*•  Thank  you,  captain,"  answered  Collins,  still 
smiling  insolently.  "  I  haven't  a  doubt  you'll  do 
exactly  as  yon  say,  if  you  only  get  the  chance.  But 
we'll  take  mighty  good  care  you  don't.  And  what 
we've  got  to  say  is  just  this  :  If  you  don't  consent  to 


UP   AMONG    TIIK    K'E-FLOES. 


171 


turn  about  and  go  liome,  and  jH'oniise  to  say  nothing 
:il)(>ut  this,  wo'ro  just  going  to  give  you  and  your 
friends  one  ot"  the  boats,  and  let  you  go  on  up  north 
:is  far  as  you  please,  Avhile  we'll  take  the  steamer,  ami 
go  down  south  as  far  iis  we  })lease.  That's  our  little 
plan.     Wiiat  do  you  think  of  it?  " 

A  strange  ehill  went  to  Captain  Marling's  heart  as 
he  heard  these  words,  and  there  eanie  up  in  his  mem- 
ory the  talk  he  had  had  widi  Harold  about  Iliid-on 
;uid  his  eruel  fate.  But  there  was  nc^t  a  sign  of  I'ear 
or  irresolution  on  his  eountenanee  as  he  made  re])ly  : 
"  You  blaek-hearteil  .scoundrel  !  This  is  all  your  devil- 
ish dointr,  and  dearlv  shall  vou  pav  for  it.  Leave  the 
eabin  this  moment,  or  I'll  shoot  vou  where  vou  stand." 
And  the  shining  barrel  of  a  revolver  was  pointed 
straight  at  Collins'  head. 

Taken  completely  by  sur])rise,  the  ra-cal  fell  baek  a 
])ace  or  two,  his  face  livid  with  rage  and  fright.  .As 
he  did  so,  Big  Alec  stepped  forward,  holding  Harold 
by  his  left  hand,  and  in  his  right,  one  of  the  long,  keen 
knives  used  in  separating  the  whale  blubber  from  the 
skin.  "  Shoot,  if  you  daie  !  "  he  shouted — for  he  was 
wild  with  drink — "and  your  cub  shall  pay  fur  it." 

Poor  Harold  gave  a  shriek  of  ten-or,  and  cowered 
down  as  the  half-crazed  giant  held  the  wicked  blade 
in  his  face.  Quick  as  a  fla>h,  all  six  revolvers  of  the 
captain's  little  band  were  leveled  at  the  mass  of  men 
in  front.  A  moment  more,  and  there  would  have  been 
an  awful  scene ;  when  suddenly — from   no  one  knew 


1^' 


172 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FI.OES. 


wlierc,  for  no  oik;  saw  liis  approach — Pat.sy  sprang 
forward,  his  face  iiflanic  witli  heroic  puij)0.-c.  In  his 
hanil  lie  held  a  short  iron  bar  which  lie  hnd  picked  up 
somewhere,  and  ere  Jiig  Alec  conld  avoid  him,  indeed 
before  he  was  aware  of  his  proximity,  he  bronnht  ilie 
bar  down  with  all  his  might  upon  the  iirm  that  held 
Harold,  shouting,  as  he  did  so  :  "  Kun,  Harold,  run  ; 
for  God's  sake  ! " 

With  the  spring  of  a  deer,  Harold  obeyed,  and  with 
tlie  loar  of  a  wild  beast  Collins  rushed  forward  to  in- 
tercept him.  But  ere  he  could  take  a  second  step  a 
sharp  crack  split  the  air,  and  with  a  bullet  in  his  biain 
the  ill-starred  wretch  pitched  forward  at  the  captain's 
feet — stone  dead. 

The  report  of  the  revolver  was  ft)ilowed  by  an  in- 
stant of  profound  silence.  Appalled  at  the  fate  of 
their  leader,  the  mutineers  stood  as  if  petrified  ;  and, 
seizing  the  opportunity.  Captain  Marling,  still  kee})- 
ing  his  revolver  pointed  at  them,  while  they  shrank 
back  in  terror  from  its  diadly  muzzle,  shouted  in  his 
sternest  tones  :  "  Fools  !  Do  you  want  to  share  the 
fate  of  this  scoundrel?  Back  to  vour  berths,  now. 
I'll  talk  to  you  in  the  morning,  when  you've  got  your 
wits  again." 

Completely  sobered  by  fright,  and  abject  in  their 
collaj)se,  the  men  one  by  one  slunk  out  of  the  saloon 
until  only  Big  Alec  was  left.  He  was  about  to  follow, 
when  by  a  sudden  impulse  he  wheeled  round,  and  with 
all  his  drunken  fury  tiu-ned  to  maudlin  penitence, 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FI-OES. 


173 


nislied  across  the  saloon,  and  throwing;  liimsclf  on  liis 
knees  before  the  captain,  wliile  the  tears  ponred  down 
liis  bronzed  clieeks,  cried  out,  imph)riniily :  "For 
(lod's  sake  captain,  forgive  nn; !  1  didn't  know  what 
1  was  doino; !  " 

Captain  Marling,  who  in  his  delight  at  Harold's 
safe  deliverance,  and  relief  at  the  happy  turn  of  affairs, 
felt  as  if  he  could  forufivo  evervlxulv  and  evervthinir, 
.Slid,  very  gently  :  "Ail  right,  Alec,  we'll  see  about  it 
in  the  morning.  Just  call  one  of  the  men,  and  put 
that  tiling  out  of  sight,"  pointing  to  Collins'  body. 

Big  Alec  went  off,  and  bringing  back  anotiier  sailor, 
the  two  carried  away  the  body,  and  then  departed 
airain  witiiout  another  word. 

They  were  very  quiet  in  the  saloon  when  once  more 
left  to  tliemselves.  The  gravity  of  the  peril,  and  the 
tragedy  by  which  it  liad  been  averted,  made  tiieni 
little  inclined  to  talk,  although  their  hearts  were  fdled 
with  profoundest  thankfidness. 

"My  darling  boy!"  said  the  captain,  at  length, 
patting  his  son's  curly  head,  "little  did  I  dream 
into  what  dangers  I  was  bringing  you  when  1  con- 
sented to  let  you  come.  It  mtist  be  Aunt  Etter's 
})i'ayers  that  keep  you  safe  from  harm.  God  bless  the 
dear  woman  !  what  will  she  say  when  she  hears  of  this? 
]>Ht,  bless  my  heart,  I've  never  thanked  Patsy. 
Where  is  the  bov  ?  Hi,  there  !  Patsv  !  Patsv  !"  he 
shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Divining  tiie  reason 
of  this  stentorian  summons,  Patsy  emerged  from  tJje 


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174 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


pantrv,  blushing  furiously.  "  Come  here,  ray  boy, 
come  here,  and  get  a  father's  tiianks,"  cried  tlie  cup- 
tain.  And  tiien,  as  the  little  stowaway  came  and  stood 
before  him,  he  took  his  two  hands  in  his,  and  pressing 
them  warmly, said  :  "Now, shipmates, bear  me  witness. 
So  sure  as  my  name  is  John  Marling,  Patsy  K'ihoe 
shall  never  want  for  anything  while  Vm  alive ;  and  if 
we  all  get  safe  back  to  Halifax  again,  I'll  take  good 
care  that  he  shall  want  for  nothing  after  I'm  dead, 
either.  God  bless  you,  little  man !  it  was  a  lucky 
day  when  you  stowed  away  on  board  the  '  Narwhal.' " 


m\ 


V  bov, 
lie  cap- 
id  St  (hkI 
)ressing 
witne-ss. 
K'ilioe 
;  and  if 
cc  good 
u  dead, 
a  luckv 
whal.'" 


CHAPTER  XV. 


DUE  NORTH. 


A  VISITOR  on  board  the  "Narwhal"  the  morning 
after  the  tragedy  would  have  liad  to  be  very 
iniobsorvaut  if  he  did  uoi  soon  find  reason  for  thinlving 
that  tiiere  was  sometiiing  amiss.  From  Captain 
^[arling  down,  everybody  seemed  uneasy  and  restless. 
The  sailors  went  about  their  work  in  silence,  and 
wearing  a  dejected,  downcast  air,  that  would  have 
been  sufficient  of  itself  to  arouse  inquiry.  The  officers 
talked  much  together,  but  in  a  quiet,  earnest  way,  that 
showed  the  subject  of  their  conversation  to  be  of  grave 
moment,  and  the  captain  spoke  to  no  one  save  w  hen 
he  chanced  to  pass  near  Harold,  and  then  he  never 
failed  to  lay  his  hand  affectionately  upon  the  boy,  and 
make  some  pleasant  remark  to  him.  Even  Harold 
had  been  so  deeply  impressed  by  the  events  of  the 
])receding  night,  that  a  shadow  had  fallen  upon  his 
young  spirit  for  the  time,  and  his  merry  whistle  was 
unheard.  He  liad  never  before  been  in  the  presence 
of  death,  and  the  awfully  sudden  fate  which  Collins  had 
brought  upon  himself  was  a  great  shock  to  him.  In- 
deed, through  all  his  life  the  memory  of  that  scene  in 
the  saloon  would  never  lose  its  vividness.  His  own 
l)eril,  the  flashing  knife  in  the  hand  of  his  drink- 

176 


III 

i'. 


im:] 


.ya 


11 


ft    :    > 


■■'1'.' 


iM  '^  ^  i 


176 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


maddened  captor,  Patsy's  brave  blow,  and  his  wild 
dash  for  liberty,  Collins'  furious  spring  after  iiim, 
and  then  the  sharp  crack  of  the  revolver,  and  the 
(lull  thud  of  the  traitor's  body  upon  the  floor, — it  took 
but  a  moment  J  but,  oh  !  how  dreadful  it  all  was  ! 

Early  in  the  forenoon  Captain  Marling  called  the 
crew  together,  and  committed  the  body  of  the  unhappy 
Collins  to  the  icy  water,  wrapped  in  a  canvas  shroud 
and  heavily  weighted,  that  it  might  sink  far  down 
into  the  silent  depths.  He  could  not  suppress  a  sigh 
of  relief  as  the  white,  shapeless  thing  slipped  into  the 
water  and  vanished.  It  seemed  as  though  it  carried 
with  it  all  the  tremble  that  had  been  weighing  so 
heavily  upon  him  of  late  ;  for  it  not  only  removed  the 
chief  cause  of  that  trouble,  but  made  the  way  moie 
open  for  him  to  deal  leniently  with  those  whom  that 
evil  man  had  led  astray. 

For  a  brief  space  after  the  corpse,  with  a  soft  splash, 
had  disappeared  forever,  there  was  a  dead  silence  on 
board,  during  which  each  man  might  almost  have 
heard  his  neighbor's  heart  beat.  Then,  lifting  his 
head,  and  looking  into  the  faces  of  his  men  with  an 
expression  full  of  mingled  kindness  and  reproach,  the 
captain  asked  them  :  "Shipmates,  have  I  not  always 
been  a  good  captain  to  you  ?" 

"Aye,  aye,  sir!"  came  in  hearty  cheers  from  the 
men. 

"  Did  I  ever  refuse  to  listen  to  any  of  your  reason- 
able requests?" 


ill 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


177 


r  rcason- 


'*  No,  sir  I  no,  sir  ! "  cried  the  men  in  chorus. 

"  Well,  don't  vou  thiuk  vou  have  treated  rae  verv 
badly  in  listening  to  that  poor  wretch  who  has  paid 
so  dearly  for  putting  evil  thoughts  ii.to  your  heads?" 

*•  We  have,  indeed,  sir,  and  right  sorry  we  are  for 
it,"  spoke  up  Big  Alec,  in  tones  whose  sincerity  was 
uniiistakable,  while  the  others  murmured  their  assent. 

"  I  believe  you,  my  men,  I  believe  you,''  continued 
the  captain;  ^' and  because  I  do,  although  you  have 
been  guilty  of  the  worst  crime  a  sailor  can  commit,  I 
do  not  intend  to  punish  you  as  the  law  gives  me  power 
to  do.  Indeed,  on  one  condition  I  will  not  punish 
you  at  all." 

"  Please,  sir,  what's  the  condition  ?  Just  name  it, 
sir,"  said  Big  Alec,  eagerly. 

"  Well,  it's  just  this,"  answered  Captain  Marlinjj. 
"If  you  will  all  promise  me  fai  hfully  to  stand  by  rae 
and  the  ship,  no  matter  where  I  see  fit  to  take  her,  and 
will  go  back  to  your  duty  with  good  hearts,  ready  for 
anytiiing,  I  will  say  nothing  more  about  what  hap- 
pent'd  last  night." 

"  We  will,  sir,  we  will !  with  all  our  hearts ;  won't 
we,  mates?"  shouted  Alec,  turning  round  to  his  fol- 
low sailors;  and  when  they  chorused  their  assent 
with  equal  heartiness,  he  took  off  his  cap,  swung  it  in 
tlie  air,  and  called  for  three  cheers  for  "Captain 
Marling !  God  bless  him !  and  we'll  follow  him  clear  to 
the  North  Pole ! "  to  which  the  men  responded  with 
a  vigor  that  awoke  the  echoes  amid  the  Arctic  silences. 

M 


lit' 


178 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


:||!,:| 


y     i 


"  All  rij^ht,  my  men  ;  it  is  a  bargain  between  ns. 
Bygones  shall  be  bygones,  and  we'll  be  good  friends 
to  the  end  of  the  chapter/'  said  the  captain,  his  face 
showing  plainly  that  the  burden  had  been  removtcl 
from  his  mind,  and  ihat  his  wav  seemed  clear  before 
him.  He  dismiri.sed  the  men  ami,  looking  very  mnch 
relieved,  they  went  back  to  their  work.  The  crisis 
was  over.  The  difficulty  happily  overcome.  The  cap- 
tain had  Mon  the  day,  and  the  only  sufferer  was  the 
poor  wretch  who,  forgetful  of  all  the  captain's  kind- 
ness, and  regardless  of  his  own  pledged  duty,  had 
tried  so  hard  to  play  him  false. 

There  was  a  change  in  the  wind  about  mid-day, 
and  the  ice  pack  began  to  disintegrate,  allowing  the 
"  Narwhal  "  to  make  some  progress  northward.  Put 
it  was  very  slow  work  at  first,  and  required  careful 
maiuigemeut.  The  *' leads,"  as  the  open  water  between 
the  floes  are  called,  were  few  and  far  between,  and 
often  after  following  one  to  its  end,  it  would  be  found 
to  be  stopped  by  an  iceberg,  or  a  specially  heavy  mass 
of  floe  ice,  which  put  farther  advance  in  that  direction 
out  of  question,  and  rendered  a  retreat  neces.'-ary. 

Ca))tain  Marling  grew  increasingly  impatient  as  that 
day  passed,  and  another  and  another,  without  the  stnb- 
borii  ice  showing  any  disposition  to  abate  its  opposi- 
tion. He  was  anxions  to  get  as  far  north  as  possible 
before  the  brief  Arctic  autumn  came  on,  as  tiie  navi- 
gation of  Fury  and  Hccla  Strait  woidd,  in  all  proba- 
biliiy,  be  very  difficidt,  and  it  would  not  be  wise  to 


Tnr 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


179 


veen  us. 
[  friends 
his  face 
removeci 
,r  before 
ly  much 
he  crisis 
The  cap- 
•  was  the 
ii's  kind- 
uty,  hud 

mid- day, 
•wing  the 
d.     Put 
lI  careful 
I'  between 
veen,  and 
be  found 
avy  mass 
direction 
-arv. 

nt  as  that 
the  stub- 
ts  opposi- 
possible 
tiic  navi- 
all  proba- 
je  wise  to 


is 


attempt  it  in  a  stormy  season.  By  a  free  use  of  steam 
lie  migiit  iiave  gotten  aiiead  a  little  farther,  but  tills 
was  just  what  he  wished  to  avoid.  He  iiml  sufficient 
coal  left  in  his  bunj^ers  to  carry  him  to  the  end  of 
his  expcilition  provided  it  was  sparingly  used,  but  if 
he  squan  iered  it  now  in  fighting  the  floes,  he  would 
have  to  do  without  it  when  fighting  the  cold  at  their 
winter  quarters. 

The  delay,  however,  had  one  advantage ;  it  gave  iiim 
plenty  of  time  to  talk  with  Harold,  and  he  told  the 
attentive  boy  many  an  interesting  story  of  the  early 
explorers,  and  their  wonderful  courage.  They  had 
such  miserable  little  vessels  in  comparison  with  the 
powerful,  well-equipped  "  Narwhal  '*  for  instance,  that 
their  achievements  were  rendered  all  the  more  heroic. 
Harold  was  filled  with  admiration  for  Frobisher  and 
Baffin  and  Master  John  Davis,  those  fearless  souls 
who  fought  their  way  far  into  this  wilderness  of  sea 
and  ice,  long  before  the  days  of  Franklin  and  McClin- 
tock  and  Parry. 

*'  Why,  do  you  know,  Harold,  they  had  to  resort 
to  the  strangest  plans  to  save  themselves  from  destruc- 
tion," continued  the  captain.  *'  During  one  of  brave 
old  Frobisher's  voyages,  a  barque  named  '  Deimis '  of 
oniv  a  hundred  tons,  mind  vou,  was  struck  so  hard  bv 
a  huge  ice  floe,  that  she  sank  at  once  in  the  sight  of 
the  whole  fleet,  and  soon  after  a  tremendous  tempest 
sprang  up  that  played  the  very  mischief  with  the 
other  vessels.     The  ice  surrotmdal  them  on  ail  sides. 


111 


m 


■4 


180 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


and  in  their  desperation,  fearing  every  moment  lest 
tiie  sides  of  their  siiips  would  be  crushed  in,  they 
protected  tiieni  witii  cables,  mattresses,  planks  and 
even  spare  masts,  wliicli  might  act  as  fenders  against 
the  pitiless  blows  of  the  ice.  A  stiil  stranger  device 
was  that  employed  by  the  *  Judith,'  another  of  the 
same  fleet.  When  being  sorely  beset,  she  made  fast  to 
the  biggest  piece  of  ice  she  conld  find,  and  crowding 
on  all  sail,  used  it  as  a  sort  of  batterirg  ram  with 
which  to  force  her  way  throngh  the  ice,  and  it  seems 
tj  have  been  quite  a  success  too." 

**  But,  father,"  interrupted  Harold,  "  nothing  like 
that  could  ever  happen  to  us  in  this  great  big  steamer, 
could  it  ?  " 

"  Not  likely,  Hal ;  not  likely,"  answered  the  cap- 
tain, "but  we've  got  to  be  very  careful,  all  the  same. 
There's  always  the  danger  of  being  nipped,  you  know, 
and  no  vessel  that  was  ever  built,  not  even  the  'Great 
Eastern '  herself,  could  stand  being  nipped." 

"  Why,  what's  being  nipped,  father?  "  cried  Harold, 
opening  his  eyes  wide. 

"Simple  enough,  my  boy  ;  simple  enough  ;  it's  just 
getting  in  l)etween  two  great  ice  floes  which  the  wind 
or  current  is  pressing  together,  and  then,  unless  some- 
thing interferes,  the  ship  is  cracked  just  as  a  nut  is 
emcked  in  the  nut  cracker.  It  is  a  very  serious  busi- 
ness, I  can  tell  you,  and  I  devoutly  hope  we  won't 
have  any  of  it.  But  I  must  run  up  on  deck,  now, 
and  see  how   we  are  getting  along."     And  leaving 


jnt  lest 
11,  they 
ks   ami 
against 
f  device 
of  tlie 
e  fast  to 
rowding 
im  with 
it  seems 

ling  like 
stoiinier, 

the  cup- 
the  same. 
L)U  know, 
le  '  Great 

1  Harold, 

it's  just 
the  wind 
ess  some- 
3  a  nut  is 
ious  busi- 
we  won't 
eck,  now, 
d  leaving 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOE:'?. 


181 


Harold  to  think  over  the  j)eril8  of  Northern  naviga- 
tion, Captain  Marling  went  up  on  deck. 

He  found  the  prospect  looking  much  more  promis- 
ing, Tiie  ice  was  separating  floe  from  floe,  wide  k^ada 
were  opening  up  in  all  directions, esixi(!ially  to  the  nortli- 
ward,  and  tiie  wind  was  favorable,  blowing  strongly 
from  the  west.  With  his  good  spirits  thoroughly 
restored,  the  captain  sang  out  his  orders  cheerily,  and 
under  a  full  press  of  sail,  the  "Narwhal"  dwlging 
this  way  and  that  way  from  lead  to  lead,  made  good 
headway  up  Fox  Channel  toward  Fnry  and  Heclu 
Sirait.  With  two  days  of  ordinarily  good  weather, 
the  entrance  of  the  stmit  ought  to  be  reached. 

Although  the  tmks  were  now  sufficiently  well  filhnl 
to  .satisfy  the  captain,  a  sharp  lookout  was  nevertlui- 
less  kept  for  any  game  that  might  be  met,  as  he 
wished  to  make  as  complete  a  collection  as  possible  of 
Arctic  trophies.  He  was  particularly  anxious  to 
secure  a  good  sjxicimen  of  that  strange  fi.«h,  the  uni* 
corn, — or  "  unic/*' as  the  sailors  call  him  for  short, — 
and  when  one  morning  a  fine  "unic'*  was  siglitid 
cutting  through  the  water  not  far  from  the  ship,  he 
ordered  a  boat  lowered  imniodiatelv  and  took  com- 
mand  of  it  himself,  with  Lewis  as  harpooneer. 

Harold,  of  course,  accompanied  him.  Wherever 
liis  father  went  he  followed.  There  was  no  gainsay- 
ing that.  The  oarsmen  were  the  best  on  board,  aid 
directing  another  boat  to  he  made  ready  in  case  assist- 
ance shoidd  be  required,  the  captain  ordered  his  men 


li 


i 


f     :  J 


182 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


■r 


to  "  give  way,"  and  off  shot  tlie  boat  after  its  prey. 
Tiiey  had  to  approach  the  unicorn— or  narwlial, 
which  is  its  projxir  name — very  cautiously,  for  they 
are  wary  creatures  and  ea.rsily  startled,  so  that  one 
must  never  forget  the  sailor's  maxim  to  "keep  off  her 
eye."  Pulling  along  smoothly  and  swiftly,  tiie  boat 
crept  up  to  within  striking  distance,  and  then  Lewis, 
not  losing  a  moment,  rose  in  his  place,  and  using  the 
hand  harpoon  this  time,  sent  it  deep  into  the  narwhal 
jnst  behind  the  fin.  With  a  tremendous  start  and 
flurry  the  stricken  fish  flung  up  its  tail  and  dived  into 
the  depths,  taking  out  more  than  a  hundred  fathoms 
of  line  as  rapidly  as  any  w  hale  could  do.  Then  it 
stopped  all  at  once.  Tiie  line  lay  loose  in  the  water. 
The  prize  seemed  already  as  good  as  won.  Hauling 
the  line  in  handover  hand,  the  men  found  little  resist- 
ance offered*  on  the  part  of  their  captive,  and  more 
than  one-half  of  the  rope  had  been  coiled  away  in  its 
place,  when  the  strain  ceased  altogether.  Noticing 
this,  Lewis  at  once  called  out :  "  Look  sharp,  there  ! 
the  unic's  coming  up  again." 

He  had  hardly  uttered  the  words  when,  like  an 
apparition,  a  huge  form  rose  from  the  depths,  on  the 
starboard  side  of  the  boat;  there  was  a  lijrhtniuof-like 
rush  that  made  the  water  fairly  hiss,  and  then  a  crash 
as  the  mighty  horn  pierced  through  the  tough  wood  as 
though  it  had  been  paper.  So  fierce  was  the  narwhal's 
charjje  that  fullv  two-thirds  of  its  horn  entered  the 
boat,  the  sharp  point  finding  its  way  into  the  thigh  of 


'y  ! 


'11 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


183 


an  oarsman  who  was  sitting  near  the  gunwale,  knock- 
ing him  off  his  seat,  and  inflicting  a  severe  wound, 
from  whicii  the  blood  guslied  out. 

For  a  moment  all  was  confusion.  Thinking  only 
of  the  injured  man,  Captain  Marling  at  once  sprang 
to  his  side,  and  with  tliat  presence  of  mind  which 
never  failed  him,  whipped  out  his  big  silk  handker- 
chief and  tied  it  tightly  around  the  poor  fellow's  leg, 
above  the  wound,  thereby  stopping  the  flow  of  blood, 
uhicli  otherwise  would  have  been  fatal.  In  the  mean- 
time, Lewis  gave  his  attention  to  their  plucky  assail- 
ant, plunging  a  lance  again  and  again  into  its  broad 
back;  for  so  firmly  was  its  horn  imbedded  in  the  l)oat'8 
side,  that  it  could  not  extricate  it.  The  keen  lance 
soon  did  its  work,  and  witii  its  life-blo(xl  dyeing  the 
sea  around,  the  unicorn  ceased  to  struggle. 

*'  Hurrah  !  "  cried  Harold.     "  He's  done  at  last." 

''Yes,"  replied  Lewis.  "But  he  came  pretty  near 
doins:  for  us  firet.  Bv  Jove  !  how  he  did  charge  us. 
I  fairly  shivered  when  his  horn  came  through  the 
boat."  Then  turning  to  the  injured  seaman,  he  said  : 
"  Much  hurt,  Bell  ?     He  hit  you  pretty  hard." 

"  That  he  did,  sir,"  answered  Bell,  who  was  hold- 
ino;  on  to  his  letj  with  both  hands  above  the  wound  as 
the  captain  had  bidden  him.  "  A  little  more,  sir,  and 
he'd  a'  taken  my  leg  off'  altogether." 

"  We  must  get  back  to  the  ship  at  onoe,"  said  the 
captain,  "and  let  the  doctor  look  after  this  man's  leg. 
Just  signal  for  that  other  boat  to  come  along." 


I       i 


m 


:f_   '   •■ 


1 1 


V*. 


it,"" 


184 


UP  AMONG   TUE  ICE-FLOES. 


Lewis  signaled  accordingly,  and  on  tlic  Cilicr  boat 
coming  up,  the  captain,  tlie  Mounded  sailor,  and  Har- 
old got  into  It,  and  hastened  buck  to  the  .ship,  leaving 
the  boat  with  the  narwhal  in  tow  to  follow  more 
slowly.  Tlie  horn  had  made  a  hole  little  larger  thnn 
itself,  and  the  bout  did  not  leak  badly,  so  that  there 
was  no  danger  of  its  filling.  Arriving  at  the  steamer, 
the  sailor  was  handed  over  to  Dr.  Linton,  who  had 
him  well  bandaged  up  before  the  other  boat  got  back, 
and  painful  as  tiie  wound  was,  no  serious  cousequences 
were  to  be  feared. 

The  question  that  now  presented  itself  was  how  to 
get  the  narwhal  on  board  without  injuring  his  horn, 
which  the  captain  was  particidarly  anxious  to  secure 
uninjured,  since  the  fi.-rh  had  made  such  brave  use  of 
it.  After  many  plans  had  been  suggested,  none  of 
which  quite  met  the  difficulties  of  the  case.  Captain 
Marling  at  length  decided  that  he  would  rather  make 
a  bigger  hole  in  the  boat  than  have  a  break  in  the 
unic's  horn.  Accordingly  the  ship's  carpenter  was  bid- 
den to  cut  out  the  piece  around  the  horn,  and  then 
the  fore  spek  tackle  being  attached,  the  narwhal  was 
hoisteil  on  board  in  triumph. 

He  proved  to  be  a  very  fine  specimen,  being  almost 
twenty  feet  in  length,  and  boasting  a  horn  fully  seven 
feet  long,  a  really  formidable  weapon,  which  would 
have  made  it  more  than  a  match  for  the  largest  whale 
in  the  duels  that  these  sea  mon.sters  sometimes  figlit. 
The  long  hoin  was  on  the  left  side  of  the  broad,  blunt 


UP  AMONG  TttE  ICE-FI.OES. 


1S5 


no8e,  and  on  the  right  side,  hidden  in  the  blubber  that 
overlaid  tiie  skull,  was  a  tiny  iiorii  scarcely  a  foot  long, 
wliieh  went  to  siiow  that  this  strange  creature  was  not 
really  a  unicorn,  after  all.  Harold  put  in  a  claim  for 
this  little  horn,  which  his  father  very  willingly 
allowed,  and  it  made  a  valuable  addition  to  the  collec- 
tion of  trophies  the  young  fellow  was  forming  on  his 
own  account. 

The  two  days  of  fine  open  weather  Captain  Marling 
prayed  for  had  been  granted  him,  and  the  "  Narwhal" 
was  now  at  the  entrance  of  the  .strait  which  led  mto 
the  nivbterions  *t^im  where  he  so  daringly  proposed 
to  spend  t'  winter.  Under  the  best  of  circumstances 
the  navigation  of  this  difficult  strait  could  not  be  other- 
wise than  arduous.  But  if  the  fine  weather  held^  the 
attempt  was  well  worth  making;  so  putting  on  all 
sieam,  and  spreading  plenty  of  (anvas,  the  sturdy 
ve.-sei  entered  upon  her  trying  task. 

Unfortunately,  the  fine  weather  <lid  not  hold.  The 
last  of  the  two  days  which  had  been  so  helpful  was 
what  is  called  a  "  weather-breeder."  It  was  a  little 
too  fine,  and  betrayed  the  near  presence  of  foul 
weather,  which  indeed  came  the  following  morning  in 
the  guise  of  a  strong  wind  from  the  southeast,  and 
dark,  lowering  clouds  that  foreboded  the  storm. 

Those  in  the  saloon  were  just  sitting  down  to 
breakfast  when  old  Strum  came  stumping  down  the 
companion  way,  looking  more  glum  than  usual. 

"Well,  Peter,  what's  the  matter?"  asked  the  t»ap- 


I'  If 


t 

i 

i 

• 

186 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


tail),  looking  up  and  noticing  tlie  doleful  expression 
on  the  first  mate's  face. 

"Matter  enough,  sir;  tiie  strait's  full  of  heavy 
ice,"  replied  Strum. 

"What!"  exclaimed  Captain  Marling,  springing  t.) 
Ills  feet.  "You  don't  mean  to  say  so?  That's  a  bad 
lookout."  And  leaving  his  breakfast  unfinished,  he 
ruf^hed  up  on  deck. 

A  single  glance  was  sufficient  to  confirm  the  mate's 
statement.  Stretching  from  one  cliff-bound  shore  to 
to  the  other  of  the  strait,  and  as  far  northward  as  eye 
could  reach,  was  the  drended  floe  ice  pre.-sing  slowly 
southward  upon  the  bosom  of  the  current  flowing  re- 
sistlesslv  out  of  the  Gulf  of  Boothia.  Here  and  there 
its  much  hummocked  surface  w:is  broken  by  "leads," 
but  thev  led  nowhere,  being  alwavs  closed  at  the  far- 
ther  end.  The  prospect  could  not  have  been  more  un- 
promising, and  with  the  wind  blowing  from  the  south 
there  was  actual  danger.  It  was  what  sailors  call  u 
"'sti'(mg  ale  wind,"  because  it  packs  the  loose  ice 
tiglitly  against  the  land  floe,  and  ships  are  more  lial)le 
than  any  other  time  to  get  nipped  between  the  mighty 
masses  and  destroved  bevond  remedv.  When  this 
haj)pens  and  the  ship  must  be  abandoned,  the  men 
rush  aft  and  broach  the  casks  of  ale  and  spirit,  thereby 
often  forfeiting  their  own  lives  in  their  mad  passion 
for  strong  drink. 

Just  such  a  wind  was  blowing  now,  and  it  blew  all 
that  dav,  rendering  the  utmost  care  nece>sarv  to  save 


pression 

^  heavv 

itrinix  ti) 
;'s  a  bad 
ilied,  he 

e  mate's 
shore  to 
d  as  eye 
or  slowlv 
wing  re- 
nd there 
'  leads," 

tiie  far- 
iiore  un- 
he  sontli 
rs  call  a 
cose  ice 
ire  Hal)le 

mighty 
hen  tins 
;he   men 

tliereby 

passion 

blew  all 
r  to  save 


Up  Among  the  Tec  Floes. 


I'ftK''  1"^'"'- 


, 


( 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


187 


tlie  steamer  from  being  cruslied  between  colliding 
floes.  To  make  matters  worse,  tiie  lowering  clouds 
toward  evening  let  fall  a  lieavy  snow  storm,  through 
which  it  was  impossible  to  see  more  than  her  own  length 
troin  the  steamer.  Then  were  ominous  and  signifi- 
cant preparations  begun  to  be  made.  Provisions  were 
hoiHted  up  from  below,  and  ranged  along  the  upper 
deck  so  that  they  might  be  thrown  into  the  l)oats  or 
upon  the  ice  at  a  moment's  notice.  The  men  were 
bidden  to  put  on  their  warmest  clothing,  and  to  make 
up  into  little  bundles  that  might  be  strapped  upon 
their  backs  the  thiuirs  thev  absolutelv  required.  The 
cooks  were  ordered  to  prepare  a  supper  of  tlie  most 
substantial  kind,  and  of  this  every  one  partook 
heartily,  for  it  might  perhaps  be  the  last  meal  they 
would  eat  on  board  the  steamer.  Darkness  set  in 
earlv,  e»'eatly  addina'  to  tiie  difficulties  of  the  situa- 
ti(m.  Nobody  thought  of  turning  in.  All  held  tiiem- 
selves  in  readiness  to  jump  for  their  lives ;  for  when 
a  vessel  is  nipi)ed  the  relentless  ice  must  pass  either 
under  or  over  the  ship;  unless  it  passes  through  her, 
crushing  in  both  sides  at  once,  as  it  Las  been  known 
to  do. 

Beset  by  darkness,  storm,  and  a  foe  against  whicn 
nothing  could  be  done,  the  "  Narwlial "  battled  bravely 
with  all  three  while  the  long  hours  of  that  anxious 
night  dragged  slowly  on,  and  none  could  venture  to 
prophesy  what  the  next  minute  might  bring  forth. 


k 


^ 


,  U-fc< 


'       CHAPTER  XVI. 

INTO  WINTER  QUARTERS. 

THAT  was  an  awful  and  ever-memorable  niglit. 
The  wind  shrieked  madlv  tliroudi  the  rijii^inir, 
as  though  the  spirits  of  the  strait,  resenting  the  inti'u- 
siou  of  tiie  "  Narwhal/'  were  crying  out  for  her  de- 
struction; the  snow  beat  fiercely  on  tiie  faces  of  Cap- 
tain Marling  and  Peter  Strum,  as  stanUng  upon  tlie 
bridge  they  peered  anxiously  into  the  darkness,  vainly 
striving  to  gain  some  idea  of  what  was  before  tiieni ; 
at  intervals  only  too  frequent,  the  great  cruel  floes 
would  crash  together,  and  the  stout  frame  of  the 
steamer  would  moan  and  groan  in  tlieir  terrible  em- 
brace. Fortunately,  they  seemed  much  broken  up, 
probably  in  the  passage  through  the  narrow  portion 
of  the  strait  above ;  and  although  big  enough  to  be 
fatal  to  a  smaller  and  frailer  vessel,  tlie  "  Narwlial," 
built  of  the  best  oak  and  teak,  and  specially  strength- 
ened with  iron,  came  ofl^  uiiscathed  from  attdck  after 
attack,  altliough  no  one  on  board  could  tell  but  tliat 
at  the  next  nip  she  would  share  the  fate  of  the 
"North  Britain,"  whose  surgeon,  sitting  in  the  cabin, 
beheld  the  ice  breaking  through  from  both  sides  at 
once,  and  had  barely  time  to  beat  a  retreat,  or  of  the 
"Laurel"  and  "Hope"  that  were  squeezed  perfectly 
188 


11  nniii! ; 


le  niglit. 

rijTirinir, 
he  intru- 
L*  lier  de- 

of  Cap- 
iipon  tlie 
iS,  vainly 
re  them ; 
uel  floes 
e  of  tlie 
•ible  ein- 
)ken  u]), 
r  portion 
i^h  to  be 
arwiial," 
5treno;th- 
iek  after 
but  tiiat 
of  the 
le  cabin, 

sides  at 
)r  of  the 
perfectly 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


189 


flat  and  then  thrown  upon  the  ice  to  sink  helplessly  to 
the  bottom  so  soon  as  tlie  pack  loosened. 

Fully  alive  to  the  perils  of  their  position,  Harold 
kept  in  the  saloon,  it  being  altogether  too  stormy  for 
him  on  deck,  his  little  bundle,  containing  a  change  of 
clothes,  and  a  few  other  necessaries,  lying  upon  tlie 
table  where  it  could  be  grasped  in  a  moment.  Patsy 
kept  liim  company.  Ever  since  his  gallant  action  at 
the  time  of  the  mutiny,  the  two  boys  had  been  greater 
friends  than  ever,  and  Caj)tain  Marling,  who  was 
nothing  if  he  was  not  grateful,  encouraged  the  lad  to 
spend  his  leisure  tiine  in  a  corner  of  the  saloon,  lend- 
ing him  books  to  read,  and  in  other  ways  showing  a 
warm  and  kindly  interest,  in  him. 

There  had  been  so  wonderful  an  improvement  in 
Patsy  since  his  uninvited  appearance  on  board  the 
steamer,  that  it  would  be  doubtful  if  any  one  of  his 
old  companions  in  the  Halifax  slums  would  recognize 
him.  The  blessings  of  good  food,  proper  clothing; 
and  a  comfortable  bed  had  not  been  wasted  upon  him. 
He  had  grown  both  taller  and  stouter,  and  really 
good  looking.  Instead  of  slouching  along  in  a  hang- 
dog way,  he  walked  with  as  alert  and  springy  a  step 
as  Harold  him^^elf.  So  quick  was  he  to  learn  his 
duties,  so  faithful  in  discharging  them,  and  so  respect- 
ful at  all  times,  that,  recognizing  the  value  of  his 
services,  the  captain  had  some  time  back  added  his 
name  to  the  ship's  company,  and  allowed  him  good 
wages,   which    fact,   more    than   anything  else,   had 


m 


A'. 


I-  i 


M 


Ill 


190 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


caused  the  happy  boy  to  respect  himself,  luid  to  feel 
tliat  he  was  at  last  of  some  good  in  the  world. 

Tlie  boys  were  silting  together  in  the  saloon,  doing 
their  best  to  keep  up  one  another's  courage  by  taking 
the  most  cheerful  possible  view  of  the  situation. 

"If  the  worst  does  come,  Patsy,"  Harold  Mas  say- 
ing, "and  we  have  to  leave  the  ship,  we'll  still  have  a 
good  chance  of  getting  off  all  right.  Father  was  tell- 
ing me  a  little  while  au;o  that  in  one  year  there  were 
twenty  whalers  crushed  to  pieces  up  in  Melville  Bay, 
and  nearly  every  man  got  safe  home  some  way  o ' 
other." 

"  But  sure,  Master  Harold,  we're  not  going  to  pieces 
at  all,"  replied  Patsy,  stoutly.  "Didn't  I  have  a 
dream  last  nii>;ht  that  I  was  Avalkinir  the  streets  of 
Halifax,  feeling  as  proud  as  the  captain  himself, — Gi)d 
bless  him  ! — with  a  fine  suit  of  clothes  on  my  back, 
and  my  wages  clinking  ag'in'  one  another  in  my 
pockets." 

Harold,  anxious  as  he  felt,  could  not  keep  from 
smiling  at  Patsy's  earnestness. 

"And  how  do  you  know  that  your  dream  must 
come  true?"  he  asked. 

"  Because,"  answered  Patsy,  his  voice  sinking  into 
a  whisper,  "  I  put  my  beads  imder  my  pillow,  and 
sure  the  dream  must  come  true." 

Harold  had  too  much  regard  for  Patsy  to  smile  tliis 
time.  Indeed,  he  felt  no  inclination  to  do  so;  on  the 
contrary,  he  took  comfort  from  the  simple  faith  of  the 


mm 


I 


(1  to  feel 
l1. 

Jii,  doing 
)y  taking 
on. 

Mils  say- 

II  liave  a 

was  tt'll- 

lore  were 

^ille  Bay, 

e  way  o ' 

1  to  })iect's 
I  liave  a 
streets  of 
elf,— God 
my  back, 
T   in    my 

eep  from 

?am  must 

king  into 
How,  and 

smile  tliis 
o;  on  the 
itli  of  ihe 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


191 


stowaway,  and  it  was  with  entire  sincerity  that  he 
said:  **  I'm  glad  you  told  me  about  your  dream, 
Patsy.     I  believe  it's  going  to  come  true  myst'lt'." 

Patsv's  eves  glistened.  He  had  felt  timid  about 
giving  his  reason,  fearing  he  would  be  laughed  at, 
and  Harold's  respect  for  his  way  of  thinking  touched 
his  heart,  encouraging  him  to  add  :  "  And  sure,  Mas- 
ter Harold,  as  soon  as  I  do  set  foot  in  Halifax,  I'm 
going  to  the  church,  and  I'm  going  to  give  particular 
thanks  for  our  getting  out  o'  this  scrape." 

The  boys  grew  weary  as  the  night  wore  on,  and  Dr. 
Linton  having  jiromisc^d  to  waken  them  the  moment 
there  was  immediate  danger,  they  curled  up  one  at 
either  end  of  the  long  sofa  and  soon  fell  asleep,  to 
dream,  perhaps,  that  they  were  both  in  Halifax  again, 
with  all  the  perils  of  the  voyage  passed. 

When  they  awoke  it  was  broad  daylight,  and  the 
sturdy  "Narwhal"  was  still  afloat  and  uninjured. 
They  went  up  on  deck  together  and  found  the  captain 
and  Strum  at  their  post,  but  not  in  at  all  as  anxious  a 
state  of  mind  as  they  had  been  during  the  night.  The 
snow  storm  had  ceased.  The  sky  gave  token  of  fine 
weather  being  not  far  oiF,  and  the  ice  was  much  less 
threatening  in  appearance. 

"Hello,  Hal!  Up  already?"  was  his  father's 
cheery  greeting.  "The  old  ship  has  weathered  it  ail 
right,  you  see;  but  we've  had  a  pretty  hard  time  of  it 
up  here,  I  can  tell  you." 

*'  Yes,  indeed,  father.     I  felt  so  sorry  for  you,  out 


''   I- 


M 

9'^! 


11 


I 


WW 


192 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


my 


if 


■f; 


ill  the  storm  all  night.  I  hope,  when  I  come  to  l)e  a 
captain,  I  won't  have  to  pass  many  nights  like  last 
night,''  said  Harold. 

"  You've  got  to  take  whatever  comes,  my  boy,  fair, 
weather  or  foul,  whether  on  sea  or  land,  if  you  ever 
expect  to  accomplish  anything,"  answered  the  captain. 
*'  I  think  we've  got  through  the  worst  of  it  now,  and 
if  you'll  just  take  charge  of  the  ship,"  he  continued, 
addressing  Lewis,  who  was  standing  near  by,  "Peter 
and  I  will  go  below  and  take  a  little  rest." 

They  had  gotten  through  the  worst  of  it.  Every 
hour  the  prospect  improved,  and  by  midday  they  were 
able  to  push  on  through  the  stmit  at  a  rate  of  speed 
that  would  bring  them  out  into  the  Gulf  of  Boothia 
ere  nightfall. 

The  scenery  through  which  the  "  Narwhal "  passed 
was  very  grand,  albeit  somewhat  monotonous.  Great, 
dark  cliffs  rose  rugged  and  frowning  from  the  shore, 
broken  here  and  there  by  coves  and  fiords,  in  which 
the  remnants  of  last  winter's  ice  still  lingered, 
being  already  reinforced  by  fresh  additions,  for  the 
nights  were  growing  cold  now.  Where  the  cliffs 
opened  a  little,  allowing  a  peep  into  the  interior,  faint 
patches  of  green  yet  marked  the  hillsides,  and  more 
than  once  the  telescope  revealed  the  presence  of  rein- 
deer feeding  upon  the  mosses  and  Arctic  grasses, 
which  form  their  scanty  food. 

All  that  day  the  steamer  forged  ahead  with  but  lit- 
tle interruption,  the  ice  being  so  much  broken  up  that 


UP   AMONQ   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


193 


she  could  easily  force  her  way  through  it,  the  wiud 
meauwhile  blowiug  gently  from  the  west.  The  biggest 
whale  that  ever  disponed  its  vast  bulk  in  Arctic 
waters  would  not  have  tempted  Captain  Marling  to 
turn  aside  in  its  pursuit.  The  end  of  October  was  at 
hand.  The  steamer  must  be  securelv  settled  in  her 
winter  berth  ere  November  came,  for  it  could  not 
very  well  be  done  after  that;  so  crowding  on  both  sail 
and  sieam,  the  captain  made  the  "  Narwhal "  put  her 
best  foot  forward,  so  to  speak,  and  the  good  ship 
covered  herself  with  credit. 

The  sun  had  yet  a  little  way  to  go  before  disappear- 
ing for  the  niglit,  when  amid  the  cheers  of  the  sailors 
the  steamer  i)assed  out  of  the  strait  into  the  broad 
watere  of  Boothia,  and  the  most  difficult  part  of  her 
work  was  finished.  It  only  now  remained  to  seek  a 
safe  harbor,  and  make  ready  for  the  long,  cold  winter 
that  would  soon  be  upon  them. 

Captain  Marling  had  determined  to  try  Garry 
Bay,  which  cuts  into  the  Melville  Peninsula  near  its 
head,  and  just  around  the  corner,  as  it  were,  from  the 
outlet  of  the  strait.  Accordingly,  the  *•  Narwhal" 
lay  to  that  night,  and  at  daybreak  next  morning 
steered  toward  the  bay,  which  was  reached  the  same 
afternoon.  A  careful  examination  satisfied  him  that 
he  could  hardly  have  made  a  better  choice.  The  bay 
was  deep  and  free  from  obstruction.  To  the  north 
and  east  the  cliffs  rose  up  in  solemn  majesty,  offering 
complete  protection  from  the  winds  that  were  most  to 


^i: 


^■'Mi 


19-1 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FL0E3. 


li 


be  dreaded ;  to  tlie  south,  the  land  lay  low  and  level, 
■while  westward  tlie  prospect  was  uninterrupted  as  fur 
as  eye  could  see.  Here  and  there  tiie  mighty  line  of 
cliffs  was  broken  by  valleys  running  far  inland, 
through  whicli  the  captain  promised  himself  explor- 
ing forays  ti>at  would  serve  to  vary  the  monotony 
of  winter  life. 

"  Capital,  sir  !  capital  I "  said  he,  rubbing  his  hands 
joyfully,  and  beaming  upon  the  imperturbable  Strum, 
as  he  took  in  the  many  advantages  of  the  situation. 
"Here  we'll  be  as  'snug  as  a  bug  in  a  rug.'  No 
northerly  or  easterly  winds  to  bother  us.  No  current 
to  disturb  the  ice.  Good  hunting  ground  to  the  south, 
and  plenty  of  *  Huskies'  not  far  oif,  I'll  be  bound." 

Strum  grunted  his  assent.  If  the  captain  was 
satisfied,  he  was  too,  and  that  ended  the  matter. 

Pushing  well  up  to  the  head  of  the  bay,  the  "Nar- 
whal "  was  brougiit  to  anchor  in  a  sort  of  a  natural 
dock,  formed  by  two  projecting  ridges  of  rock,  ere  the 
darkness  settled  down. 

The  following  day  was  devoted  to  a  thorough  clean- 
ing and  overhauling  of  the  ship.  From  the  stokers  and 
oilmen  down  in  the  dark  engine  room  up  to  the  sailors 
taking  off  the  top  masts,  every  man  worked  with  a 
will.  The  weather  was  favorable,  but  who  could 
prophesy  how  long  it  would  continue  so,  and  the  best 
advantage  must  be  taken  of  it,  for  there  was  much  to 
be  done  ere  the  vessel  would  be  ready  for  the  winter. 
The  ship  having  been  made  clean,  and  put  in  apple- 


n 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


195 


nd  level, 
ed  as  far 
f  line  of 
■  inland, 
•  explor- 
Qouotony 

liis  hands 
>le  Strnm, 
sitnation. 
•ug/  No 
'o  current 
the  south, 
bound." 
[)tain   was 

er. 
the  "  Nar- 

a  natural 
ck,  ere  the 

ugh  clean- 
tokers  and 
the  sailors 
ed  with  a 
,vho  could 
id  the  best 
as  much  to 
the  winter, 
t  in  apple- 


pie  order,  the  next  business  was  to  turn  her  into  a 
housc.  This  operation  Harold  found  wonderfully 
interesting.  Having  had  it  in  view  from  the  initiation 
of  his  enterprise.  Captain  Marling  had  made  due  pro- 
vision, and  in  the  forehold  there  was  a  put  of  planks, 
rafters  and  joints,  that  now  for  the  first  ;ime  revealed 
their  purpose.  The  deck  was  turned  into  a  carpenter 
shop;  sawing,  planing,  and  fitting  piece  to  piece  went 
on.  All  who  could  be  of  any  use  lent  an  assisting 
hand,  and  the  work  progressed  rapidly. 

Always  quick  to  tiiink  of  anything  that  would 
impart  a  little  variety  to  the  life  of  his  sailors.  Cap- 
tain Marling  made  the  setting  up  of  the  roof-tree  and 
the  fitting  of  the  frame  the  excuse  for  a  regular  old- 
time  "frolic,"  or  "  bee"  as  it  would  be  cidled  in  the 
countryside.  A  particularly  good  diinier  wa8  served 
in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  in  the  evening,  when  the 
Mork  was  finished,  they  were  allowed  to  dance  and 
sing  to  their  hearts'  content,  so  that  they  were  all  made 
to  feel  in  high  good  humor. 

The  fine  bright  days  continued,  and  the  house  on 
deck  grew  rapidly.  The  roof  and  sides  being  com- 
pleted, the  next  business  was  the  packing;  for,  of 
course,  no  ordinary  wooden  walls  would  be  of  much 
avail  against  the  fearful  cold  that  would  come  in  due 
time.  The  securing  of  the  material  for  packing 
afforded  another  pleasant  bit  of  variety.  The  ma- 
terial was  the  diy  moss,  which  thickly  clothed  t!'** 
sheltered  portions  of  the  laud  near  by,  and  which 


:  ■III 


I*:"" 


lit 

I- 


1 


in 


■f?K.'l|ii| 


>:,{■ 


mw 


196 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


t'ley  prooiired  bv  going  on  ^'hore  with  gunny  sacks, 
wliich  were  quickly  filled  with  tlie  spongy  stufif. 

Harold  thought  it  very  fine  fun  at  first  clambering 
over  the  rocks,  and  up  among  the  clifTs,  but  after 
a  while  it  ceased  to  be  amusing,  and  then  he  betook 
liimself  to  exploration.  He  a»ked  his  father  to  allow 
Patsy  to  accompany  him,  and  having  promised  not  to 
go  any  distance  inland,  but  to  keep  within  gunshot  of 
the  shore,  he  took  his  gun  and  a  supply  of  ammuui- 
tion  and  started  off  in  great  spirits.  He  felt  himself 
to  be  a  real  explorer. 

"  Why,  Patsy,"  said  he,  proudly,  as  having  scaled 
the  first  range  of  cliffs,  they  looked  down  upon  the 
great  fiord  on  which  the  "  Narwhal"  lay  motionless, 
*'  perhaps  nobody  before  ever  stood  where  we're  stand- 
ing now ;  just  think  of  that !  S'pose  we  call  this  point 
Harold's  Hill,  and  that  one  over  there  Patsy's  Peak." 

Patsy  laughed  at  the  idea  of  any  place  being 
called  after  him,  but  Harold  insisted  that  as  explorers 
tiiey  had  the  same  right  to  call  places  after  them- 
selves as  other  people  had  ;  so  the  hill  and  the  peak 
were  duly  christened,  and  the  two  boys  proceed  to 
farther  discoveries. 

^-  Hi,  Patsy  I  look  here  !  what's  that  ? "  cried 
Harold  presently,  pointing  excitedly  with  his  finger  to 
a  level  stretch  of  land  a  mile  or  more  distant,  upon 
which  some  stmnge-looking  animals  could  be  seen 
moving  slowly.  "  What  queer-looking  creatures  they 
lire  I    Their  heads  seem  bigger  than  their  bodies." 


'•^'i-^m. 


UP  AMONG    THE  ICE-PLOES. 


197 


IV  sacks, 

iff. 

imbering 
but  after 
le  betook 
to  allow 
ed  not  to 
inshot  of 
ammuui- 
t  liimself 

ng  scaled 
upon  the 
lot  ion  less, 
're  staud- 
this  point 
i-'s  Peak." 
tice  being 
explorers 
ter  tliem- 
1  the  peak 
3roceed  to 

;?"  cried 
is  finger  to 
itant,  upon 
d  be  seen 
itures  they 
(odies.**   . 


I  Shading  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  Patsy  lookc<1  long 

and  hard,  but  could  make  nothing  of  them.  "  Sure,** 
said  he,  "  if  their  heads  weien^t  so  big,  I'd  say  they 
were  cows." 

"  I've  got  it ! "  cried  Harold ;  "  they're  moose,  that's 
what  they  are." 

Harold  had  never  seen  a  live  moose,  but  moose 
heads  stuffed  and  mounted  were  often  on  exhibition 
at  the  furriers  ir.  'Talifax,  and  he  was  quite  familiar 
with  their  ai)pearai.oe. 

"Right  you  are,  sir,"  said  Patsy.  "Tiiey're 
moose,  and  no  mistake.  Wiiat  a  fine  thing  it'd  be  if 
we  could  shoot  one  now.  Woiddn't  the  captain  think  a 
deal  of  us?" 

The  very  same  thoughts  were  running  tlu'ough 
Harold's  mind,  and  the  temptation  to  go  off  in  pur- 
suit of  the  supposed  moose  was  very  great.  But  it  did 
not  cause  him  to  forget  his  father's  injiuiction,  and  his 
tone  was  decided  enough  as  he  answered : 

"  No,  no.  Patsy.  We  mustn't  do  that.  The  moose 
are  at  least  a  mile  away, and  we're  as  far  from  tiie  ship 
now  as  we  ought  to  be.  We'd  better  be  getting  back, 
as  it  is." 

On  their  return  to  the  steamer,  they  at  once  an- 
nounced their  discoveiy,  and  Captain  Marling  had  a 
good  laugh  at  them.  "Moose,  do  yon  say,  Harold? 
Not  a  bit  of  it.  No  moose  in  this  country.  It  Mas 
reindeer  you  saw.  And  just  so  s  )on  as  this  job  is  fin- 
ished, we'll  go  and  hunt  them  up,  I  promise  you." 


198 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


i5 


i 


Harold  slioiited  with  deliglit  at  the  pro.si:)ect  of  a 
reindeer  hunt,  and  found  it  hard  to  restrain  his  impa- 
tience during  the  next  few  day.s,  while  the  deck  house 
was  being  completed.  Captain  Marling  took  good 
care  that  this  was  most  carefully  done.  Upon  the  first 
roof  a  layer  of  moss,  at  least  a  foot  thick,  was  laid, 
and  stamped  firmly  down.  Then  over  this  a  second 
roof  of  heavy  planking  was  built,  and  the  cracks  be- 
tween the  boards  caulked  with  the  same  useful  moss. 
This  having  been  satisfactorily  acc(miplished,  it  only 
remained  to  fit  the  windows  and  doors  into  their  places, 
and  the  deck  house  was  complete. 

The  result  was,  the  transformation  of  the  deck  into 
a  very  roomy  and  comfortable  chanil  r,  which, although 
perhaps  rather  dark  in  the  daytime, — for  the  windows 
were  necessarily  small,  and,  moreover,  had  triple 
sashes, — looked  well  enough  at  night,  when  half  a  dozjn 
big  lanterns  shed  a  generous  light  into  every  corner. 
Harold  highly  approved  of  it.  There  was  lots  of  room 
for  the  skvJarkinu:  in  which  he  loved  to  indulge  with 
Patsy,  and  the  very  idea  of  turning  .he  steamer  into  a 
house  was  full  of  romance  and  charm  to  him.  He 
liad  no  premonition  of  how  desperately  weary  he 
would  become  at  what  now  seemed  so  delightful,  in 
the  long,  dark,  cold  days  that  were  approaching,  and 
with  what  joy  he  Mould  hail  the  removal  of  the  last 
plank  in  that  deck  house,  whicii,  being  now  complete, 
rendered  tlie  "Narwhal  "  readv  for  the  winter. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


A   REINDEER   HUNT. 


THE  preparatious  for  winter  were  not  completed  a 
day  too  soon.  Fortunately,  neither  were  they  a 
dav  too  late.  The  first  dav  of  November  saw  the 
steamer's  dock,  which  it  had  been  decided  was  hence- 
forth to  be  known  as  Narwhal  Inlet,  covered  thick  with 
ice ;  and  each  day  thereafter  tiie  shore  ice  crept  farther 
out  into  the  bay,  until,  by  the  end  of  the  week,  not  a 
speck  of  open  water  was  visible  from  the  crow's  nest. 

"  The  steamer's  in  bed,  now,  Harold,"  said  Captain 
Marling,  as,  walking  out  upon  the  ice,  now  strong 
enough  to  bear  a  regiment,  tiiey  looked  back  at  the 
"  Narwhal,"  which  presenteii  a  very  snug,  comfortable 
appearance,  with  her  covered  decks  and  shortened 
masts.  "She  onlv  needs  her  bedclothes;  and  then 
she  won't  mind  the  cold  an  atom." 

"  Her  bedclothes,  father  !  Why,  what  do  you 
mean  ?  "  queried  Harold,  in  surprise. 

"  The  snow,  my  boy,  the  snow,"  answered  the  cap- 
tain. "  When  the  winter  snow  comes,  we'll  pile  it  up 
on  the  roof  and  around  the  sides,  until  she  is  almost 
biuied  in  it.  She'll  be  a  vast  deal  warmer  for  that,  I 
can  tell  von." 

"  Then  we'll  be  living  in  a  snow  house,  jtist  like  the 

ltf9 


■ 


200 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


..-.^ii-tii 


Esquimaux,  won't  we,  father?"  exclaimed  Harold,  his 
face  kindling  at  tlie  idea. 

"  That's  so,  Harold  ;  only  that  our  snow  house  will 
have  a  wooden  inside,  which  will  make  all  the  diifer- 
encein  the  world,  as  vou'U  soon  see  for  vourself,  when 
we  come  across  some  Huskies." 

'*  And  when  will  we  see  some  Huskies,  father  ?  " 
asked  Harold,  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  they'll  be  along  fast  enough,  if  there  are  any 
of  them  about,"  answered  the  captain.  "  Tliey'll  see 
our  smoUe,  and  come  to  find  out  what  it  means.  The 
sooner  they  come  the  better ;  for  I  want  a  couple  of 
them  to  he  our  guides  when  we  go  after  the  reindeer. 
It  wouldn't  be  wise  for  us  to  go  off  entirely  on  our 
own  hook." 

Captain  Marling  was  right  in  judging  that  the  Es- 
quimaux would  come  along  so  soon  as  the  presenoeof  the 
"  Narwhal"  was  discovered  ;  for  the  verv  next  dav  a 
procession,  that  Harold  thought  more  interesting  than 
a  circus  parade,  was  seen  slowly  approaching  the  ship, 
coming  from  the  south.  There  were  some  half-dozen 
sledges,  each  drawn  by  as  many  dogs,  and  loijded  with 
an  extraordinary  assortment  of  furs,  frozen  seal  meat 
household  implements,  old  women  and  young  chiklren, 
while  beside  them  walked  a  number  of  men,  and  more 
women,  more  children,  and  more  dogs.  They  were  the 
oddest-looking  lot  of  people  Harold  had  ever  beheld ; 
and,  as  they  drew  near  tl.ie  ship,  they  could  be  seen 
chattering  vigorously  to  each  other,  and  pointing  at  the 


III 


UP   AMOXG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


201 


arold,  his 


loiise  will 
lie  (liifer- 
self,  when 

father?" 

•e  aie  any 
liey'll  see 
MIS.  The 
couple  of 
reindeer, 
y  on  our 

t  the  Es- 
?noeof  the 
Bxt  (lay  jv 
(ting  than 

the  ship, 
lalf-dozen 
'.ded  with 
seal  meat 
ciiildren, 
and  more 

were  the 
r  beheld ; 
d  be  seen 
ing  at  the 


steamer,  evidently  feeling  somewhat  uncertain  a^  to 
wliat  this  ,-trauge-looking  thing  was,  and  what  kind  of 
people  inhabited  it. 

They  were  not  long  left  in  doubt.  Tiie  half-brce<l 
interpreter  whose  services  Captain  Marling  iiad  socnreil 
at  Nachvaiv  now  showed  liis  value.  Coniino;  forward 
to  meet  the  procession,  he  at  once  entered  into  conver- 
sation with  the  leaders,  who  were  evidently  highly 
pleased  at  seeing  one  who  looked  and  spoke  so  like 
tiiemselves.  There  was,  of  cour.-e,  some  difference  in 
the  dialect,  but  the  interpreter  found  that  he  could 
make  himself  tolenibly  well  understood,  and  at  once, 
on  behalf  of  Captain  Marling,  offered  the  Esquimaux 
a  hearty  welcome. 

They  seemed  at  first  as  t'mid  as  they  were  curious, 
and  having  never  seen  a  steamer  before,  required  some 
coaxing  ere  they  would  consent  to  go  on  board.  But 
Lane,  the  interpreter,  soon  gained  their  confidence,  and 
placing  themselves  in  his  hands,  the  men  followed 
liim  up  on  to  the  deck,  leaving  the  women  and 
children  in  charge  of  the  iiledges.  Tlie  number  of 
the  men  was  twelve,  and  they  were  the  dumpiest, 
dirtiest,  bcst-natured  looking  specimens  of  humanity 
that  Harold  had  ever  seen.  He  was  exceedingly 
])leased  to  find  that  he  was  actually  taller  than  the 
largest  of  them. 

"  See  here.  Patsy,"  he  cried  to  his  friend,  "  I'm 
as  big  as  any  of  them." 

"So  you  are.   Master  Harold,  one  way,"  replied 


•;  ;/:j 


■r  >^'l 


m 


i!''  2  Mll'^^ 


m 


m 


202 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Patsy.  "You're  as  higli  as  the  best  of  them,  but 
you're  not  as  broad.  Sure,  they're  as  round  as  a 
barrel,  aren't  tliey,  now  ?  " 

"  Nobody  wants  to  be  as  broad  as  they  are."  ^aid 
Ilarohl,  "  or  to  have  such  a  flat  nose,  either,"  lie 
added,  witli  a  laugh,  looking  full  into  tiie  fiaee  of  a 
Huskie  beside  him,  wiio,  noticing  tlie  laugh,  but  of 
course  understanding  notliing  of  tiie  boy's  uncompli- 
mentary words,  roturned  the  laugli  Avith  interest, 
revealing  two  rows  of  sturdy  teeth  as  yellow  as  parcli- 
nieut.  His  good  nature  quite  won  Harold's  heart, 
and  remembering  his  experience  at  Xachvak,  he  at 
once  ran  olf  to  tiie  steward  for  a  plate  of  biscuits, 
wiiich  he  proceeded  to  distribute  among  the  visitois, 
whose  bright  eyes  fairly  snaj)ped  witii  deliglit,  for 
there  is  nothing  they  crave  more  than  farinaceous 
food. 

Having  permitted  his  dusky  visitors  to  wander 
about  the  deck  for  an  hour  or  more,  inspecing  iis 
wonders  with  childish  curiosity,  and  peppering  Lane 
with  excited  que.-tions.  Captain  JNIarling  gave  eacli  a 
bountiful  supply  of  hard  tack,  and  sent  tiiem  away, 
first  taking  care  to  make  arrangements  for  the  rein- 
deer hunt  on  the  following  day.  Tiiey  went  away 
very  obediently,  and  rejoining  their  wives,  who  liad 
all  the  time  been  wailing  for  them  on  the  ice  witii 
admirable  patience,  returned  to  the  siiore,  where  they 
set  np  their  tents,  and  encamped  for  the  night. 

Tlie  following  day  was  as  fine  as  heart  could  wish, 


.l.ij   .     :..i. 


1 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


203 


hem,   but 
unci  as  a 

are."  j^aid 

ther,"  lie 

face  of  a 

li,  but  of 

iiicompii- 

intt^rest, 

as  parch - 

r.s  lietirt, 

ak,  lie  at 

f  biscuits, 

e  visitois, 

liglit,  for 

iriuaceous 

0  wander 
ec'ing  its 
ing  Lane 
ve  each  a 
}m  away, 
the  rein- 
Lnt  awjiy 
who  Jiad 
!  ice  w  itii 
here  they 
t. 
iild  wish, 


and  the  whole  vessel  rang  witli  the  bustle  of  prepara- 
tion for  the  hunting  party.  Captain  Miirlinu;  had 
determined  to  give  as  many  of  his  men  as  wislied,  a 
day  on  siiore,  for  they  had  now  been  a  long  time 
cooj^ed  up  in  the  vessel ;  so  it  was  announced  that  with 
the  exception  of  the  first  mate,  tiie  steward,  the  cook, 
and  a  couple  of  sailors,  the  rest  of  the  ship's  company 
might  get  ready  for  a  day's  outing.  The  men  were 
highly  pleased  at  this,  and  set  about  equipping  them- 
selves with  great  energy.  They  were  allowed  entire 
freedom  in  the  matter,  and  the  consequence  was  thnt 
some  of  them  presented  a  very  ludicrous  appearance 
when  they  considered  themselves  ready  for  the  hunt. 
None  of  them  had  rifles,  but  being  bidden  by  the  cap- 
tain to  take  any  weapon  from  tlie  steamei-'s  armory 
they  chose,  one  man  picked  up  a  lance,  another  a  har- 
poon, a  third  a  flensing  knife,  a  fourth  a  blubber 
spade,  a  fifth  a  cho})per,  and  so  on  until  every  one  of 
then)  had  an  offensive  weapon  of  some  kind. 

"  If  Jack  Falstaff  could  only  see  them,"  remarked 
the  surgeon,  who  had  a  great  turn  for  Shakespeare, 
"  he  would  not  rest  content  until  he  hati  enlisted  every 
man  jack  of  them  in  his  famous  regiment." 

However,  if  they  were  not  very  appropriately 
armed, and  had  not  enjoyed  much  pievious  experience 
in  hunting  reindeer,  they  made  up  in  strength  and 
spirits  what  they  otherwise  lacked,  and  nobody  was  in 
better  humor  than  Big  Alec,  who,  ever  since  Captain 
Marliuof's   magnanimous   action   at  the  time  of  the 


;  '                       V^ 

!..| 

i 

\ 

A 


204 


tJP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


mutiny,  had  been  the  best-l)eliaved  and  most  vahiable 
sailor  on  board  the  siiip.  Before  the  day  would  close 
he  was  to  have  an  opportunity  of  showing  by  still 
stronger  proof  how  deep  was  his  gratitude  for  Ids 
captain's  forbearance. 

The  hunting  party,  as  it  moved  away  from  the 
steamer,  presented  quite  an  imposing  appearance.  It 
numbered  forty,  including  Harold  and  Patsy,  and  at 
the  Esquimaux  camp  it  was  made  up  to  the  even  fifty 
by  the  addition  of  all  the  able-bodied  men,  who,  look- 
ing very  happy  at  the  prospect  of  getting  a  lot  of  veni- 
son when  the  deer  are  at  their  best,  were  to  act  as 
guides  for  their  white  friends. 

The  two  boys  were  in  great  "  fettle."  Harold  had 
iiis  own  rifle,  and  Patsy  a  small  one  that  the  captain 
had  loaned  him,  and  which,  considering  how  little  he 
knew  about  using  it,  was  likelv  to  be  more  dansrerous 
to  iiimself  than  to  the  game.  But  this  view  of  the 
case,  of  course,  never  entered  his  mind,  and  proudly 
shouldering  the  rifle,  as  he  had  seen  the  soldiers  do  in 
Halifax,  he  marched  along  at  Harold's. side,  the  hap- 
piest boy  on  earth. 

"Won't  it  be  splendid  if  we  each  shoot  a  deer. 
Patsy  ?  "  said  Harold.     "We  might  do  it,  you  know.'' 

"  Indade,  that  we  might.  Master  Harold,"  replied 
Patsy,  full  of  faith  in  both  Harold  and  himself.  "Sure, 
fhis  rifle'll  kill  anything  it  hits." 

They  had  much  conversation  of  the  same  kind  as, 
ied  by  the  Esquimaux,  the  party  made  their  way  up 


0 


1 


UP  AMONG  THE  KJE-FLOES. 


205 


valuable 
Diild  close 

by  still 
e  for  iiis 

from  the 
ance.  It 
ly,  and  at 
even  fiflv 
I'lio,  look- 
t  of  veni- 
to  act  as 

arold  had 
18  captain 
V  little  he 
^anijerous 
;\v  of  the 
1  proudly 
iers  do  in 
the  liap- 

>t  a  deer, 
>u  know.'* 
,"  replied 
f.  "Sure, 

I  kind  as, 

Ir  way  up 


through  one  of  the  valleys,  and  thence  to  the  kvel 
land  beyond  the  cliffs  where  tlie  boys  had  seen  the 
reindeer  a  few  days  before.  There  were  no  deer  in 
sight  at  first,  and  Captain  Marling  divided  his  little 
army  into  groups  of  five,  putting  each  group  under 
the  guidance  of  a  native,  and  then  directing  them  to 
spread  out  in  such  a  way  as  to  sweep  the  whole  plain, 
and,  by  describing  a  sort  of  semi-circle,  come  all 
together  again  at  the  farther  side.  Ai)out  the  middle 
of  the  day,  he  gave  orders  for  a  general  advance  along 
the  wdiole  line. 

The  going  was  pretty  rough  and  wearisome  as  the 
two  boys,  sadly  out  of  practice  in  tramping  owing  to 
long  confinement  on  shipboard,  soon  found  out.  The 
])lain  was  strewn  with  bowlders,  intersected  by  gullies, 
and  tossed  up  and  down  in  hills  and  hollows  that 
made  walking  anything  but  an  amusement.  Captain 
Marling  and  Dr.  Linton,  with  Harold  and  Patsy, 
composed  one  of  the  groups,  their  guide  being  a  sturdy 
little  Huskie,  whose  stubby  legs  carried  him  over  the 
ground  at  a  surprising  pace.  By  the  time  they  had 
gone  a  couple  of  mile?,  Harold  began  to  lag,  and  his 
father,  noticing  it,  said  : 

''Look  here,  Harold,  there's  no  need  of  your  tiring 
yourself  out  keeping  up  with  us.  Suppose  you  and 
Patsy  stay  here,  and  we'll  come  back  and  pick  you  up 
after  a  while.  The  reindeer  may  turn  this  way  when 
thev're  started,  and  then  vou'll  have  a  chance  at 
them." 


--J 


Ml 


s   ; -s 


-i 


i(!; 


-i 


206 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


?/. 


Harold's  pride  had  prevented  him  from  proposing 
this  plan  iiimself,  but  wlien  his  faiiier  suggested  it  he 
readily  assentec] ;  so  the  tliree  niei.  went  on  ahead,  leav- 
ing the  two  boys  at  the  base  of  an  elevation,  wliich 
tliev  at  once  ascended  in  order  to  follow  the  otln/'rs' 
movements. 

'•Now  if  the  reindeer  will  onlv  be  cood  enouirh  to 
come  right  along,"  said  Harold,  stretching  himself  at 
his  ease  on  the  summit  of  the  knoll,  ''  I  shall  be  most 
happy  to  have  a  shot  at  them." 

"It's  not  many  shots  we'll  be  gettin'  if  we  wait  for 
the  deer  to  come  to  us,"  said  Palsv.  "It's  we  must 
go  after  them." 

The  inequalities  of  the  country  soon  hid  the  rest  of 
the  party  from  view,  and  the  boys  were  apparently  the 
only  living  objects  within  the  bounds  of  the  horizon. 
After  a  while  thev  beo^an  to  feel  somewhat  lonelv,  and, 
coming  down  from  their  post  of  observation,  set  out  to 
follow  in  the  track  of  the  others.  When  thev  had 
gone  some  distance,  they  were  glad  to  see  Big  Alec 
coming  toward  them.  It  seemed  that  he,  like  them- 
selves, had  found  the  walking  very  troublesome,  and 
not  having  a  rifle,  but  only  a  whaling  lance  for  a 
weapon,  had  decided  to  give  up  the  chase  of  the  deer, 
and  wander  about  as  he  pleased  until  the  hunt  was 
over.  Big  Alec  seemed  no  less  glad  to  see  them,  and 
the  three  strolled  along  together  at  a  leisurely  pace. 

Preseutlv  their  attention  was  aroused  bv  the  sound 
of  rifle  shots  so  distant  that  they  sounded  more  like 


I    i! 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


£07 


roposing 
ted  it  lie 
3a(l,  leav- 
)!},  Mliicli 
le  others' 

noiigh  to 
iinself  at 

1  be  most 

i  Ma  it  for 
3  we  must 

le  rest  of 
rently  the 

2  horizon, 
iiely,  and, 
set  out  to 
tliev  had 
Big  Alec 
Ice  them- 
onie,  and 
ice  for  a 
the  deer, 
liunt  Avas 
liem,  and 
r  pace. 

he  sound 
lore  like 


the  popping  of  corks  than  the  explosion  of  death-deal- 
ing gunpowder. 

"Ah,  ha!  That  means  bnsiness,"  exclaimed  Alec. 
*'  I  hope  they'll  drive  the  deer  this  way.  I'd  like  to 
have  a  look  at  them." 

To  judge  from  the  reports  of  the  rifles,  the  sailor's 
wish  was  likelv  to  be  tiratified,  for  the  firing;  tjrew 
nearer,  showing  that  the  deer  were  coming  in  their 
direction. 

"Get  your  gun  ready.  Master  Harold,"  said  Alec, 
grasping  his  spear  tightly.     "They  must  be  coming 

•s  way." 

Harold  made  sure  that  the  cartridge  was  in  its  place, 
and  then,  trembling  with  excitement,  awaited  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  reindeer.  They  were  not  kept  long  in 
suspense.  From  the  other  side  of  a  ridge  not  half  a 
mile  away,  a  herd  of  deer,  probably  the  same  the  boys 
had  seen  before,  dashed  into  sight  with  half  a  dozen 
Esquimaux  dogs  barking  madly  at  their  heels.  They 
were  heading  directly  for  the  boys,  and  when  they  dis- 
appeared ill  a  gnlly,  Harold  could  not  breathe  for  ex- 
citement until  they  rose  into  view  again. 

On  they  came  at  a  lumbering  but  swift  gallop, 
headed  by  a  splendid  buck  witli  antlers  branching  out 
like  a  forest  tree.  There  were  at  least  twenty  of 
them,  and  all  in  fine  condition. 

"  I'm  going  to  try  for  him,"  cried  Harold,  pointing 
at  tiie  leader. 

So  intent  were  the  deer  in  escaping  from  the  dogs 


■  ! 


i 


208 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


m 


tliat  they  did  not  notice  the  boys  and  their  companion 
until  they  were  ahnost  upon  tlieni.  Tlien  with  a  fierce 
snort  tiie  big  Inick  threw  up  his  liead,  anu  at  that 
moment  Haruhi,  wlio  was  standing  ahnost  in  front  of 
him,  leveled  iiis  rifle  and  tired.  Down  went  the  buciv 
with  such  suddenness  as  to  nearly  turn  a  somersault, 
and  off  darted  the  herd,  swerving  swiftly  to  the  left, 
just  giving  Patsy  time  to  send  a  bullet  into  the  last 
one,  which  broke  its  leg,  and  rendered  it  an  easy 
victim  to  the  dogs,  who  soon  pullai  it  down. 

With  a  glad  hurrah,  Harold  rushed  forward  to  pos- 
sess himself  of  his  prize.  But  he  reckoned  without 
his  host.  The  deer  was  only  stunned,  not  killed. 
Just  as  the  boy  was  within  a  few  steps  it  sprang  to  its 
feet,  and  furious  with  pain  from  the  bullet,  which  had 
SI  ruck  it  at  the  base  of  the  horns,  charged  straight 
upon  him. 

'•My  God!  the  boy!"  cried  Big  Alec,  as  he  saw 
Harold's  danger. 

Harold  saw  it  too,  and  tried  to  avoid  it.  As  he 
did  so,  his  foot  turned  upon  a  loose  stcme,  and  he  fell 
headlong.  It  was  a  most  fortunate  accident.  The 
maddened  deer  was  almost  upon  him.  Another 
moment,  and  he  would  have  been  caught  in  the 
tremendous  autler.-.  But  the  sudden  fall  saved  him, 
and,  unable  to  check  itself,  the  fierce  creature  bounded 
over  his  prostrate  body,  giving  him  more  than  one 
sharp  blow  with  its  hard  hoofs  as  it  passed. 

Before  he  could  rise  it  had  turned,  and  was  making 


i 


UP   AMONG    THE   ICE-FLOES. 


209 


tmpanion 
h  a  fierce 
1  at  that 

front  of 
the  buck 
niersault, 

the  left, 
)  tlie  last 

an  easy 

'd  to  pos- 
without 

t   killed. 

mg  to  iis 

liicli  had 
straight 

he  saw 

As  he 

d  he  fell 

ht.     The 

Another 

in  the 
ved  him, 
bounded 
than  one 

}  making 


for  him  again.  Now  was  Big  Alec's  opportunity. 
With  a  shout  that  sounded  more  like  the  roar  of  a 
bull  than  the  utterance  of  a  human  throat,  he  sprang 
in  front  of  Ilarold,  brandishing  the  lance.  But  what 
did  the  reindeer  care  for  whale  lances!  They  had  no 
terrors  for  him.  Not  for  an  instant  did  he  pause. 
The  great  antlers  were  lowered  to  receive  the  lance, 
knocking  it  at  once  out  of  the  sailor's  gra.«p,  and  then, 
as  he  refused  to  budge,  they  crashed  into  his  broad 
breast. 

Big  Alec  gave  vent  to  another  roar,  this  time  of 
agony,  for  he  was  sore  hurt  by  the  sharp  tines,  and 
throwing  his  arms  around  the  horns,  sought  to  drag 
the  deer  to  earth.  A  tremendous  struggle  ensued.  The 
deer  was  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind,  and  the  sailor 
one  of  the  largest  of  his  kind.  Tliey  were  well 
matched,  and  both  had  their  fury  arou.-ed  to  the  high- 
est pitch.  Scrambling  to  his  feet,  Harold  repossessed 
himself  of  his  rifle,  and  stood  at  one  side  watching 
this  extraordinary  wrestlintj  match  witli  intense 
anxiety.  He  did  not  dare  to  fire,  for  so  rapid  and 
confused  were  the  movements  of  the  combatants  that 
the  chances  were  he  would  hit  Alec  instead  of  the 
buck. 

In  the  meantime,  Patsy,  in  whose  composition  tlie 

element  of  fear  seemed  somehow  to  have  been  omitted, 

had  snatched  up  the  lance,  and  was  giving  the  deer 

vicious  prods  in  the  side  and  neck,  from  which  the 

blood  was  streaming.     Yet  the  powerful  creature  was 

o 


X 


210 


UP   AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


tmi 


clearly  getting  the  better  of  his  opiionent.  If  tlie 
fiiiiior  could  only  have  gotten  the  animal  around  the 
neck,  he  would  have  been  more  than  a  matcii  for  it ; 
but  his  hold  upon  the  huge  horns  gave  him  very  little 
advantage,  and  he  was  fa.^t  beeoniing  exhauflted  in  his 
efforts  to  save  himself  from  being  gored  by  the  in- 
furiated animal. 

"For  God's  sake,  shoot  the  brute!"  he  gasi)ed  out, 
finding  himself  in  such  straits.  Just  as  he  spoke  the 
buck  presented  his  side  broadly  to  Harold,  as  the 
latter  stood  by  watching  eagerly  for  a  chance  to  render 
his  companion  aid. 

"  Now,  my  l)oy,  now ! "  cried  Big  Alec. 

Harold  raised  his  rifle,  and  without  waiting  to  take 
aim,  fired  at  the  buck.  The  bullet  entered  just  behind 
the  shoulder.  The  creature  gave  a  wild  bound  into 
the  air,  dragging  the  sailor  clear  off  his  feet,  and  then 
fell  upon  him  dead,  l)eyond  all  doubt,  this  time.  The 
bullet  had  cleft  his  brave  heart. 

Instantly  the  boys  sprang  forward  to  extricate  Big 
Alec  from  his  critical  position.  With  a  great  effort 
they  dragged  the  dead  deer  off,  and  tiien,  to  their 
great  alarm,  discovered  that  he  wjas  insensible.  They 
tried  such  means  as  suggested  themselves  at  the  mo- 
ment to  rouse  him,  but  still,  to  their  great  alarm, 
he  remained  immovable,  and  as  white  as  he  was 
still. 

"  Mercy  on  us  ! "  cried  Harold.  "  Surely,  he  can't 
be  killed!" 


.  If  the 
ound  the 
ih  for  it; 
;rerv  little 
ted  iu  his 
ly  the  iu- 

isy^ed  out, 

spoke  the 

d,  as  the 

to  render 


ng  to  take 
List  beliind 
ound  into 
,  and  then 
ime.    Tlie 

tricate  Big 
reat  effort 
1,  to  tiieir 
)le.  They 
at  the  mo- 
eat  alarm, 
IS   lie  was 


y,  he  can^t 


o 

a 


'*•       ==^ 


I 


nn 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


211 


If  he  were  not,  he  certainly  looked  startlingly  like  it. 
His  clothes  had  been  torn  to  tatters  in  the  terrible 
struggle,  the  sharp  tines  of  the  antlers  had  wounded 
him  in  places  upon  both  his  breast  and  face,  from 
which  the  blood  flowed  freely,  and  in  that  last  desper- 
ate bound,  the  noble  buck^s  death-throe,  he  had  been 
hurled  violently  to  the  ground,  his  head  coming  into 
contact  with  one  of  the  bowlders  that  lay  everywhere 
about. 

"Oh,  Patsy,  what  shall  we  do?"  said  Harold, 
with  a  sob ;  for  he  really  feared  that  the  bii;  fellow, 
who  had  come  in  so  bravely  between  him  and  danger, 
had  forfeited  his  life.  He  would  have  had  his  svm- 
pathy  drawn  out  for  any  one  in  such  a  situation. 
It  was  intensely  strong  for  one  who  had  risked  so 
much  for  him. 

"  Sure,  sir,  he  can't  be  dead  I  He's  only  fainted," 
replied  Patsy,  in  a  tone  that  betrayed  his  own 
anxiety.  "  Let's  get  the  blood  off  his  face,  and  he'll 
come  to  all  right."  ^ 

There  was  a  pool  of  water  near  by,  and  dipping  his 
handkerchief  in  this,  Harold  gently  bathed  Big  Alec's 
face,  being  rejoiced  to  find  that  it  was  not  so  badly 
cut,  after  all,  and  that  the  blood  was  ea?«ily  stancheil. 
Still,  Alec  remained  motionless,  while  from  the  more 
serious  wounds  on  his  breast  the  life-blood  was  slowlv 
ebbing  away. 

"Oh,  why  don't  they  come!"  cried  Harold,  wild 
with  anxiety,  and  the  sense  of  his  own  hel])lessness. 


% 


%^ 


fin-'   '   f-%' 


212 


UP   AMONG   THE    ICE-FLOES. 


"If  Dr.  Linton  were  only  here!     Do  go,  Patsy,  and 
Bee  if  vou  can  see  anvthinof  of  them." 

Patsy  at  once  ran  off,  and  Harold  was  left  alone 
with  the  insensible  sailor,  whose  life  now  hnng  upon 
the  chance  of  Dr.  Linton  reaching  him  within  a  very 
few  minutes.  Poor  Bisr  Alec!  he  was  drawino;  verv 
near  death!  Each  moment  saw  his  chances  dimin- 
isldng,  and,  if  anything  was  to  help  him,  it  must 
come  speedily. 


t^^  I 


CHAPTER  XVJII. 


f 


ESQUIMAUX   EXPERIENCES. 

WHEN  each  minute  seems  an  hour,  one  cannot 
measure  accurately  the  flight  of  time,  and 
Harold  could  not  tell  how  long  Pat.^y  had  been  gone, 
ere  he  returned,  running  at  full  speed,  and  so  out  of 
breath  that  he  could  hardly  say  the  words:  "Dr. — 
Linton's — coming — ju.^t — beiiind  !"  before  the  doctor 
himself  a})peared,  and  at  once  threw  himself  down 
beside  the  still  motionless  body.  He  felt  Big  Alec's 
pulse,  and  then  placed  his  hand  upon  his  heart. 

'•Not  dead  yet! ''he  reported,  looking  very  mucli 
relieved.  "But  we  must  stop  this  blood  right  oif. 
Get  me  some  moss,  quick,  boys."  The  boys  hastily 
gathered  up  some  handfuls  of  moss  and  handed  them 
to  him.  "  Now,  your  liandkerchiefs."  Having  got- 
ten the  handkerchiefs,  the  surgeon  with  deft  hands 
proceeded  swiftly  to  make  bandages  for  the  wounds, 
and  soon  had  the  bleeding  completely  under  control. 
"  So  far,  so  good,"  said  he.    "  Now,  to  wake  him  up." 

Patsy  brought  his  hat  full  of  water  from  the  pool, 
and  Big  Alec's  face  was  drenched  with  it,  Harold 
meantime  chafing  his  hands  vigorously.  This  treat- 
ment was  soon  successful.     The  sailor  stirred,  opened 

his  eves,  closed  them  again,  and  then  put  up  his  hand 

213 


"11 


rfa: 


214 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


to  feel  his  liead,  muttering,  in  a  bewildered  way: 
"  What's  the  matter  ?     Who  strnck  me  ?  " 

In  a  few  minutes  more  he  had  quite  regained  his 
senses,  and  made  an  effoil  to  get  up  on  his  feet,  but 
Dr.  Linton  restrained  him.  "No,  no,  Alec,"  he  said, 
kindly,  "you  must  lie  there  until  we  can  carry  you 
to  the  ship.  If  you  try  to  move,  you'll  start  your 
wound,-'!  bleed ino'  again." 

"As  vcu  ?'■  sir,"  answered  Alec.  "I  do  feel 
pretty  well  shaken  up,  and  I'll  just  keep  still." 

A  couple  of  he  ,,  .'I  )rs  were  then  dispatched  to  the 
steamer  to  procure  a  hammock  and  a  pair  of  hand- 
spikes, with  which  a  sort  of  stretcher  was  improvised, 
and  four  strong  seamen  bore  the  wounded  man  to  tlie 
"  Narwhal,"  where,  by  Captain  Marling's  direction, 
he  was  placed  in  Collins'  stateroom,  as  he  would  be 
better  off  there  than  in  the  dark  and  stuffy  forecastle. 

If  anv  feeling  of  resentment  had  linsrered  in  the 
captain's  mind,  it  was  completely  and  finally  banished 
when  he  heard  of  Big  Alec's  braverv  in  the  bov's 
behalf.  He  lost  no  time  in  expressing  Ir's  gratitude, 
and  in  assuring  the  well-pleased  sailor  that  he  had  by 
his  gallant  action  secured  a  friend  whose  memory  of 
that  service  would  not  be  short-lived. 

The  hunt  had  been  highly  successful,  no  less  than 
twelve  fine  fat  bucks  and  does  having  fallen  victims. 
These  were  equally  divided  between  the  Esquimaux 
and  the  steamer,  and  if  ever  people  looked  happy,  it 
was  those  dusky,  dumpy  savages,  as  they  toiled  home 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


215 


•ed  wav : 

ained  his 

ieot,  but 

'  he  said, 

icarrv  vou 

tart  your 

!   do   feel 

led  to  tlie 
of  hand- 
1  pro  vised, 
iian  to  tlie 
direction, 
would  be 
forecastle, 
ed  in  the 
'  banished 
the  boy's 
gratitude, 
be  had  by 
emorv  of 

less  than 
1  victims, 
squimaux 
happy,  it 
iled  home 


to  their  tents,  bearing  their  heavy  loads  of  delicious 
venison  ;  for  as  a  matter  of  fact  they  have  no  higher 
ideal  of  bliss  than  a  stomach  filled  to  repletion  with 
favorite  food. 

They  had  a  glorious  blowout  that  night,  men, 
women,  and  children,  eating  and  eating  and  eating  until 
it  seemed  a  marvel  they  did  not  share  the  fate  of  the 
frog  who  strove  to  be  as  big  as  the  ox.  But  then  it 
was  an  era  in  their  lives  to  have  an  unlimited  supply 
of  reindeer  meat;  for,  having  no  guns,  it  was  not  often 
they  were  successful  in  hunting  these  fleet-footed  crea- 
tures. The  white  visitors'  brilliant  success  as  hunters, 
and  generosity  in  dividing  the  spoils,  quite  decided  the 
Huskies  to  make  their  winter  quarters  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  steamer,  of  which  plan  Captain  Marling 
highly  approved,  as  he  wished  to  study  this  interesting 
pe()i)le  closely;  and,  moreover,  the  band  was  too 
small  to  be  much  of  a  burden,  even  if  he  had  often  to 
contribute  to  its  support  during  the  long  winter. 

Harold  and  Patsy  were  delighted  at  the  idea  of 
having  such  quaint  neighbors,  and  promised  them- 
selves fine  fun  learning  how  to  manage  an  Esquimaux 
dog  sledge,  and  in  turn  teaching  the  Esquimaux  boys 
how  to  handle  a  gun.  They  were  disappointed  at  first 
because  the  natives  lived  in  tents  of  dried  reindeer 
skin  instead  of  snow  houses,  but  the  captain  explained 
that  the  tents  Avere  only  summer  residences,  and  that 
the  snow  houses  would  be  built  so  soon  as  the  firm, 
drv  winter  snow  had  come. 


11 


216 


rP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


Sure  enoiigli,  after  the  first  heavy  snow  fall,  and 
when  there  was  no  longer  any  doubt  but  that  winter 
hud  come  to  stay,  the  E-squiniaux  set  about  making 
preparations  for  their  winter  abode;  and  the  two  boys, 
mIio  now  spent  the  greater  part  of  every  day  ashore 
with  the  natives,  watched  them  with  eager  interest. 
Their  first  proceeding  was  to  hunt  out  a  s^at  is  factory 
bed  of  snow,  which  they  did  by  means  of  snow  testers, 
long,  lijiu  rods  of  reindeer  bone,  which  they  thrust 
througli  the  crust  down  into  the  snow  beneath,  to  make 
sure  tiiat  it  was  well  packed,  and  fit  for  their  purpose. 
A  good  bed  having  been  found  not  far  away,  they  at 
once  set  to  work  to  build  their  "  iy-loos.'* 

Of  many  a  ciow  house  had  Harold  been  the  proud 
architect,  but  he  felt  that  his  most  ambitious  efforts 
would  look  little  better  than  ant  heaps  beside  tiie  sym- 
metrical structures  these  ignorant  natives  built  up  like 
magic  before  his  eyes.  Taking  a  long,  strongly-made 
knife,  the  Esquimaux  woidd  describe  a  circle  in  the 
snow  of  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  thereby  indicating 
where  the  base  course  of  blocks  was  to  be  laid.  Then 
the  blocks  were  cut  out  from  the  bed,  and  laid  around 
this  circle.  These  blocks  were  the  size  of  a  lary-e 
pillow,  and  weighed  about  twelve  pounds  apiece. 
They  were  laid  upon  their  edges,  not  like  bricks  in  a 
series  of  courses,  but  in  one  spiral  course  that  ascended 
without  break  from  foundation  to  summit,  changhig  in 
the  ascent  from  a  rectangular  to  a  triangular  shape, 
the  cap  of  the  dome  being  formed  by  three  triangular 


UP    AMONG   THE   ICE  FLOES. 


217 


fall,  and 
at  winter 

niakiny: 
;wo  boy.s, 
IV  asliore 

interest. 
tislactory 
*v  testers, 
3y  tliru-t 
,  to  nuike 

purpose. 
',  thev  at 

he  proud 
us  efforts 
tlie  syni- 
It  up  like 
i»;lv-made 
le  in  the 
iidicating 
I.  Then 
\\  around 
'  a  large 
5  apiece, 
icks  in  a 
ascended 
LUging  in 
ir  shape, 
'iangular 


blocks  meetinor  in  a  kev  block  that  held  all  firiulv 
togetiier. 

Harold  was  filled  with  admiration  for  the  skill 
with  wliich  the  dusky  buildt:rs  liasliioned  the  blocks 
and  fitted  them  togetiier.  Borrowing  one  of  the 
sailor's  shealh  knives,  he  tritd  his  own  hand  at  it,  but 
soon  gave  up  in  despair,  for  the  blocks  that  he  cut 
would  not  do  at  all.  They  were  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes,  and  utterly  refused  to  lie  snugly  together. 

"  I'll  have  to  get  one  of  the  Huskies  to  teach  me,  I 
see,"  said  he,  throwing  down  his  knife,  "  but  I'm 
bound  to  learn." 

When  the  dome  had  been  completed,  a  hole  was  cut 
at  one  side  for  a  door,  and  a  long  covered  way  built 
to  keep  the  wind  from  blowing  in  too  fi-eely.  This 
covered  way  was,  of  course,  very  low,  and  one  had  to 
go  through  on  his  hands  and  knees.  The  next 
business  was  to  chink  the  crevices  between  the  blocks, 
which  was  done  by  cntting  off  a  little  snow  frcm  the 
edges  of  the  blocks  and  ramming  it  into  the  cracks 
and  crevices  with  a  blow  of  the  fist.  Finally,  a  foot 
or  two  of  loose  snow  was  heaped  over  all  the  dome 
except  at  the  entrance,  and  the  "  igloos "  were  com- 
pleted so  far  as  the  outside  part  of  them  was  concerned. 
Then  came  the  furnishing  of  the  inside,  and  if  the 
bovs  had  been  filled  with  admiration  before,  thev  were 
overflowing  with  wonder  now.  These  clever  work- 
men in  snow  proceeded  to  make  a  platform  which  was 
about  thirty  inches  high,  and  took  up  nearly  three- 


m\ 


i 


\iv  I 


'I 


"^ 


218 


rP   AMOXa    THE    ICE-PJ.OES. 


fourths  of  tlie  inside  space.  Upon  this  they  spread  a 
layer  of  moss  and  the  reindeer  skins,  and  in  response 
to  Harold's  wondering  inquiry,  showed  very  clearly 
that  this  platform  was  intended  for  their  bed. 

The  boys  were  fairly  staggered.  A  snow  house 
seemed  tolerable  enough  if  you  could  get  nothing 
better.  But  a  anow  bed  I  That  was  quite  too  much 
of  a  good  thing. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  the  likes  of  it?"  exclaimed 
Pat<y,  when  he  understood  the  matter.  "Sleeping  in 
a  snow  bank !  Sure,  I'd  be  frozen  stiff  the  first  time  I 
tried  it." 

Wiien,  later  on,  after  the  thermometer  had  gotten 
down  away  below  zero,  and  the  keen  air  cut  like  a 
razor,  the  boys  visited  one  of  these  "  igloos,"  and  not 
only  saw  its  inhabitants  lolling  about  comfortably 
in  a  temperature  that  did  not  melt  their  snow  beds, 
but  beheld  two  chubby,  dirty  children,  stark  naked, 
rolling]:  over  one  another  on  the  reindeer  skins  like  a 
pair  of  frolicsome  kittens,  they  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  Esquimaux  were  made  of  very  different  stuff 
from  themselves,  and  that  they  certainly  could  never 
get  used  to  their  style  of  living.  Just  imagine  what 
it  would  be  like  to  go  through  a  whole  winter  without 
ever  feeling  really  warm.  Talk  about  "perishing 
with  the  cold  ! "  The  people  in  the  temperate  zone 
don't  begin  to  know  what  it  really  means. 

Alongside  tiie  large  "igloo"  a  smaller  one  was  built, 
to  serve  as  a  sort  of  pantry  or  storeroom,  and  in  this  the 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


219 


spread  a 
1  response 
y  clearly 

ow  house 
nothing 
too  much 

Bxclaimed 
leeping  in 
rst  time  I 

ad  gotten 
)ut  like  a 
''  ami  not 
mfortably 
jiow  beds, 
7'k  naked, 
ins  like  a 
lonclusion 
rent  stuff 
uld  never 
jine  what 
?r  without 
perisliing 
rate  zone 

was  built, 
n  tins  the 


reindeer  meat,  the  seal  blubber,  and  the  other  suj)plie3 
were  kept,  as  well  as  tiie  harness  for  tiie  dogs,  whi(;h 
could  not  be  trusted  within  reach  of  those  omnivorous 
cieatures.  Harold  was  very  much  disappointed  in  the 
Esquimaux  dogs.  He  had  expected  them  to  be  fine 
large  creatures,  something  like  the  Newfoundland 
dogs,  but  instead  of  that  tlicy  were  sliaggy -haired^ 
sharp-nosed,  wolf-like  animals,  abont  the  size  of  a 
collie,  with  nothing  attractive  in  their  character,  being 
almost  as  wild  as  wolves,  and  having  no  other  idea  of 
obedience  than  cowering  before  ti>e  crack  of  their 
master's  whip.  Their  only  redeeming  feature,  next 
to  their  a!)ility  to  drag  a  sledge  seemed  to  be  the 
simplicity  of  their  appetite.  They  would  cat  anything 
and  everything,  and  Harold  used  to  amuse  him.«elf 
experimenting  upon  them.  One  of  them  that  a  sailor 
succeeded  in  coaxing  on  board  the  steamer,  showed  his 
appreciation  of  Jack's  hospitality  by  devouring  a 
cloth  hat,  a  boot,  the  best  part  of  a  flannel  shirt,  and 
one  leg  of  a  pair  of  trowsers  before  he  was  detected  in 
his  mischief. 

When  the  natives  completed  their  "  igloos,"  which 
they  built  in  a  sort  of  circle,  their  little  village  pre- 
sented quite  a  snug  and  cosy  appearance  from  the  out- 
side, whatever  thin-skinned,  cold-blooded  writers  from 
the  South  might  think  of  the  inside,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  they  considered  themselves  particularly  for- 
tunate in  the  selection  of  a  site  for  their  winter  settle- 
ment ;  for  they  were  the  very  pi(;ture  of  contentment, 


11 


220 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICK-FLOES. 


as  they  waddled  about  in  their  furry  garments  from 
igloo  to  igloo,  or  fioni  ihe  settlement  to  the  steamer. 
There  was  a  constant  interchange  of  visits  between 
these  neighbors.  The  white  men  went  to  the  natives 
to  study  their  habits  and  mode  of  life,  and  to  try  and 
pick  up  something  of  their  language.  The  natives 
came  to  the  white  men  to  study  their  bread  and  their 
beef,  and  to  try  and  pick  up  any  unconsidered  trifles 
that  might  be  lying  around  handy  ;  not  that  they 
were  ligiit-fingered  and  unworthy  of  trust.  On  the 
contrary,  they  would  not  appropriate  so  much  as  a  pin 
without  first  asking  permission.  But  then  tiiey  were 
no  more  bashful  about  asking  than  children  in  short 
frocks  wouUl  be.  Harold,  with  that  easy  benevolent 
characteristic  of  those  to  whom  the  giving  costs  nothing, 
was  at  first  disposed  to  grant  so  many  of  their  requests 
that  his  father  had  to  interpose,  and  order  him  to  give 
nothing  more  away  without  first  asking  him. 

Not  a  day  ])ass£d  that  alone,  or  accompanied  by 
Patsy,  Harold  did  not  pay  a  visit  to  the  igloos.  With 
the  help  of  Lane,  the  interpreter,  he  began  to  master 
the  "Innuit"  language,  and  would  proudly  repeat  to 
his  father  every  new  won!  he  acquired.  One  of  the 
first  sentences  he  got  a  good  grip  upon  was  the  curious 
but  eminently  appropriate  way  in  which  the  Huskies 
say  good-bye,  viz:  "  2'a-bouike  apeimiak  in  atU" 
which  in  plain  English  meant  **  Good-bye,  don't  bump 
your  head."  Hai'old  thought  this  exceedingly  amus- 
ing, and  resolved  to  carry  it  home  with  him,  though 


r  I 

f 
I 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLORS. 


221 


iiits  from 

steamer. 

botweou 
e  natives 
)  trv  and 
2  natives 
lud  their 
etl  trifles 
iiat  tiiey 

On  tlie 
as  a  pin 
lev  were 

in  siiort 

nevolent 

nothing, 

requests 

a  to  give 

mied  by 
5.  Witii 
o  master 
repeat  to 
le  of  tlie 
)  curious 
Huskies 
in  atit" 
I't  bump 
V  amus- 
,  tlioiigh 


he  forgot  everything  else;  as  for  Patsy,  lie  f)Un(l  he 
could  make  himself  so  well  understood  by  dint  of 
plenty  of  gestures  and  grimaces,  that  he  left  tiie  lan- 
guage of  the  tongue  alone,  saying  tiiat  his  "  unruly 
member"  was  altogether  too  clumsy  to  get  'round  the 
native  speech. 

The  boys'  chief  source  of  delight,  however,  Avas 
being  taught  how  to  manage  an  Esquimaux  dog  sledge. 
This  was  an  art  by  no  means  easily  learned.  The 
dogs  were  utterly  unruly,  having  gotten  pretty  well  out 
of  training  during  the  summer;  and,  moreover,  they 
evidently  ha<l  great  contempt  for  drivers  who  could 
not  hurl  exclamations  at  tiiem  in  "  Innuit,"  (  wield 
the  long-thonged  whip  with  which  tiieir  proper  mas- 
ters could  take  a  tuft  of  hair  out  of  their  backs  at  ten 
yards  range.  Ti»e  sledges  seemed  such  clumsy,  primi- 
tive affairs  in  the  bovs'  eves,  made  as  tiiev  were  of 
rouiii;-,'  r  «hi(med  driftwood,  lashed  tojjether  with 
reindeer  gut,  lu./  they  had  the  ship's  carpenter  build 
one  for  themselves  after  the  most  approved  civilized 
model,  and  put  together  with  nails.  This  they 
brought  out  with  great  pride  and  showed  it  to  their 
heathen  friends,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Here,  you  ignor- 
ant Huskies,  this  is  something  like  a  sled.  Just  see 
how  much  better  it  is  than  vour  cbimsv  affairs!" 

But,  much  to  their  surprise,  the  Esquimaux  did  not 
seem  at  all  impressed ;  on  the  contrary,  they  shook 
their  heads  in  evident  disapproval  of  the  new  model, 
saying  something  that  no  doubt  meant :   "  No  gootl ; 


111 

II 


ill 


222 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


our  kind  tlie  best.     White  man  don't  know  how  to 
make  clec^ge  for  'Innuit.'" 

As  tlie  boys  were  not  to  be  convinced  by  words,  tlie 
natives  determined  to  prove  tlieir  case  by  practical 
illustration.  Accordingly,  the  best  team  of  dogs  they 
had  was  harnessed  carefully  to  the  new  skdge,  and  the 
best  of  their  drivers  being  put  in  charge,  Harold  and 
Patsy  were  bidden  to  jump  on,  the  long  whip  cracked 
like  a  pistol  shot,  and  off  they  Avent  at  full  speed. 
Tlie  way  was  fairly  level,  but  veiy  rough,  and  the 
sledge  bumped  along,  seeming  to  strike  every  obstacle 
within  reach  in  its  wild  course.  The  superiority  of 
gut  over  nails  as  a  fastening  soon  became  evident. 
Instead  of  yielding  a  little  to  every  shock,  the 
sledge  opposed  it  stiffly,  and  carefully  as  it  had  been 
put  together,  the  incessant  bumpir.g  strained  it  apart, 
until  at  length,  a  particularly  violent  concussion  with 
an  ice  hummock  broke  one  of  the  rimners  short  off, 
pitching  the  boys  out  on  their  heads,  and  causing  their 
Esquimaux  driver  to  break  into  a  merry  peal  of 
laughter. 

Harold  and  Patsy  picked  themselves  up,  rubbing 
their  heads  ruefully,  and  gazing  at  the  shattered 
sledge,  with  an  expression  that  said  plainly  enough  : 
'*  The  Huskie's  right.  He  does  know  his  own  busi- 
ness best.  I  guess  we  can't  improve  on  his  way  of 
building  a  sled." 

But  if  they  could  not  teach  the  Esquimaux  anything 
regarding    sled-building,  they  certainly  thought   the 


ilt  ■ 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


223 


)w  how  to 

vords,  the 

practical 
dogs  tliey 
e,  nnd  tlie 
urold  and 
p  cracked 
ill  speed. 

and  the 
Y  obstacle 
L'iority  of 

evident, 
bck,  the 
had  been 
1  it  apart, 
sion  with 
short  off, 
iing  their 

peal   of 

rubbinjT 
shattered 

enough : 
wn  busi- 
>  way  of 

anything 
ight  the 


native  houses  were  capable  of  great  improvement. 
However  pretty  and  romantic  they  looked  wlien  freshly 
built,  they  soon  prove  themselves  hollow  frauds,  so  far 
as  keeping  warm  the  visitors  from  the  South  was  con- 
cerned. The  walls  were  far'  from  air-tight,  the  outside 
air  passing  through  as  readily  as  it  would  through  a 
lump  of  white  sugar  held  between  a  boy's  lips;  and  as 
this  outside  air  was  always  well  below  zero,  inside 
warmth  was  hardly  attainable  when  the  only  means 
of  heating  consisted  in  a  couple  of  small  stone  lamps, 
in  which  a  feeble  flame  flickered  all  dav  Ions::.  Even 
supposing  it  had  been  possible  to  make  sufficient  lieat 
to  warm  up  these  snow  huts  properly,  their  construc- 
tion put  this  out  of  the  question.  The  snow  must  not 
be  allowed  to  melt.  The  temperature  inside  must, 
therefore,  be  kept  below  freezing  point.  In  other 
words,  the  Esquimaux  in  their  winter  homes  live  in  a 
tempemture  so  chilly,  that  one  might  almost  make  ice 
cream  there  without  having  to  put  iced  salt  on  the 
freezer.  And  yet,  as  Harold  noticed,  they  never 
seemed  cold,  and  their  children  would  play  about  with- 
out clothing  in  this  freezing  atmosphere. 

When  the  whole  family  gatiiered  in  the  igloos,  and 
the  stone  lamps  were  burning  at  their  feet,  tliawing 
out  blubber  or  venison  for  dinner,  the  heat  ascending 
to  the  roof  would  begin  to  melt  the  points  and  edges 
of  the  blocks  above.  Tiien  somebody  would  take  a 
handful  of  snow  from  the  floor  and  paste  it  on  the  leak. 
Then  if  the  heat  continued,  these  snowballs  would 


u  \\ 


224 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


(    ! 


1311 '  I  ■ ; 


'a^^ 


become  sjituratetl  with  water,  and But  let  Patsy's 

experience  illustrate  the  consequence.  Harold  and  he 
were  sitting  in  an  igloo  one  cold  day,  and  out  of 
respect  for  the  feelings  of  their  guests,  the  Esquimaux 
had  warmed  the  place  ilp  as  much  as  they  dared. 
Indeed,  coming  in  from  the  bitter  cold,  the  boys  fo  \ 
tlie  place  almost  comfortable. 

Presently  Patsy,  who  was  lounging  on  tlie  edge  of 
the  bed  with  the  hood  of  his  fur  coat  thrown  hack, 
felt  a  drop  of  water  falling  upon  his  head,  and  look- 
ing up  saw  that  the  roof  was  beginning  to  melt.  One 
of  the  Esquimaux  noticed  it  also,  and  promptly 
aj)plied  a  snowball  to  the  leak,  stopping  it  at  once. 
The  cause  of  his  discomfort  having  been  removed, 
Patsy  resumed  his  place,  and  was  lolling  there  at  his 
ease,  when  suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a 
•shout  that  startled  the  others,  and,  putting  his  hand 
to  the  back  of  his  neck,  cried : 

"Oh,  musha!  musha!  what's  this  that's  struck  me? 
Ouch  !  there's  a  snake  down  my  back,  sure ! " 

It  wasn't  a  snake,  of  course,  but  it  was  something 
almost  as  bad.  The  snowball  put  up  to  patch  the 
leak  having  become  saturated  with  water  had  fallen 
off,  and  found  its  way  with  perfect  aim  in  between 
Patsy's  hood  and  the  back  of  his  neck,  the  icy  slush 
slipping  down  his  backbone  with  an  effect  which  may 
be  easily  imagined. 

Thenceforward  Patsy  never  sat  in  an  igloo  without 
keeping  one  eye  upon  the  roof  aud  changing  his  posi- 


l;i  ;  ii.-. 


UP   AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


225 


Bt  Patsy's 
Id  and  lie 
i  out  of 
squiraaux 
iv  dared. 
)VS  fo' 


1 


e  edge  of 
\vn  back, 
ind  look- 
elt.  One 
promptly 
at  once, 
removed, 
ive  at  his 
b  witii  a 
bis  iiand 

lick  me  ? 

)methinor 
>atch  I  he 
ad  fallen 
between 
icy  slush 
uch  may 


tion  at  the  slightest  suspicion  of  a  leak.  One  lesson 
was  enough  for  him.  Indeed,  it  would  have  been  for 
any  one.  The  incident,  moreover,  caused  Harold  and 
him  to  wonder  still  more  how  these  simple  Esquimaux 
could  pass  winter  after  winter  in  such  conifortlcss 
abodes.  It  also  made  them  more  grateful  for  their 
own  snug  quaiters,  and  for  the  far  more  pleasant 
homes  they  hoped  by-aud-by  to  see  again. 


without 
his  posi- 


T?r 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


m 


AN   ARCTIC   WINTER. 

WINTER  had  come,  and  such  a  winter  as  no  one 
on  board  the  "  Narwhal "  had  ever  experienced 
before.  Down,  dow^n,  down,  crept  the  mercury  in  tlie 
thermometer  until  at  lengtii  it  could  get  no  farther, 
and  then  one  night  the  registering  glass  that  hung  at 
the  door  of  the  deckhouse  froze  solid,  so  that  you 
could  have  handled  the  mercury  just  as  though  it 
were  a  stick  of  candy. 

Moreover,  as  the  mercury  sank  the  days  shortened, 
the  period  of  daylight  growing  briefer  as  the  close  of 
the  year  drew  near.  The  immense  value  of  the  deck 
house  now  became  evident.  For  the  men  to  have 
been  confined  to  tiie  forecastle,  which  alihougii  more 
roomy  than  such  places  ordinarily  are,  was  still  none 
too  spacious  for  two  score  men,  would  have  been  very 
trying  to  their  temper  and  spirits.  But  the  huge  deck 
liouse,  lit  by  half  a  dozen  lamps,  and  warmed  by  a 
couple  of  big  stoves  Captain  Marling  had  not  i'or- 
gotten  to  provide,  made  a  splendid  refuge  from  the 
cold  and  dark,  where  the  sailors  could  read,  sew,  make 
curious  carvings  out  of  wood  or  play  games  according 
as  they  pleased.  Tiiey,  of  course,  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  keep  the  ship  iu  order,  and  although  tiie  cap- 
226 


U 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


227 


as  no  one 
tperieuced 
ury  ill  the 
10  farther, 
at  hung  at 
i  tiiat  vou 
thousjrh  it 

shortened, 
le  close  of 
f  the  deck 
a  to  have 
3ugh  more 

still  none 

been  very 
huge  deck 
I'lued  bv  a 
1  not  i'or- 
?  from  the 
sew,  make 

according 
ling  to  do 

h  the  cap- 


tain's discipline  never  relaxed  so  far  as  the  control  of 
the  men  was  concerned,  they  were  allowed  abundant 
freedom  of  action  within  proper  limits.  They  were, 
upon  the  whole,  a  very  contented,  peaceable  lot  of  men, 
and  if  they  ever  did  feel  disposed  to  grumble  at  any 
of  the  hardships  inevitiible  in  their  situation  they  had 
the  sense  to  keep  it  to  themselves.  The  tragical  con- 
sequences of  Collins'  evil  counsel  had  taught  them  a 
lesson  they  were  in  no  hurry  to  forget. 

The  one  thing  to  be  feared  by  men  situated  as  were 
those  on  board  the  "Narwhal"  was  the  scurvv, 
Tlie  constant  eating  of  salt  food,  and  the  lack  of 
active  employment  made  this  dread  disease  a  contin- 
gency to  be  carefully  guarded  against.  There  was  not 
so  much  danger  of  it  in  the  saloon,  because  the  cap- 
tain had  laid  in  an  abundant  supply  of  cacMcd  meats 
and  vegetables;  but  the  sailors,  of  course,  had  the 
regulation  fare  of  salt  junk  and  hard  tack,  and  if  they 
were  to  do  nothing  but  loll  about  trying  to  keep  them- 
selves warm,  the  probability  was  that  they  would  be 
down  with  the  scurvy  ere  the  winter  was  half  througli. 

Here,  again,  the  captain's  forethought  found  illus- 
tration. He  had  anticipated  all  this,  and  had  made 
provision  against  the  difficulty  in  a  way  that  did 
credit  to  his  ingenuity.  Calling  the  men  together  one 
fine  morning  when  the  thermometer  was  about  twenty- 
five  degrees  below  zero,  he  asked  them  how  they 
would  like  to  have  a  game  of  baseball.  They  re- 
ceived his  question  in  much  the  same  way  as  if  he 


il 


11 

ii; 


f  T  f   ;  ■ 

.1    '  ■■ 


228 


"UP  AMOXG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


had  asked  how  thev  wouM  like  a  slice  out  of  the 
moon.  But  he  assured  theui  he  was  in  earnest,  pro- 
ducing a  baseball  as  a  token  of  his  sincerity.  He 
then  explained  his  scheme,  which  was  simply  that  a 
fipace  about  a  hundred  yards  square  should  be  cleared 
of"  loose  snow,  and  thus  converted  into  a  ball  fiehl,  the 
like  of  which  ceriainlv  did  not  exist  anvwhere  else  on 
the  continent.  With  big  lumps  of  coal,  which  would 
show  out  plainly  on  the  white  ground  for  bases,  and 
iiandspikes  for  bats,  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  their 
having  lots  of  fim,  even  though  the  game  in  skill  and 
style  fell  far  below  the  League  standard. 

The  men  took  hold  of  the  idea  at  once.  The  space 
required  was  carefully  cleared  and  smootlicd,  and 
thenceforward  every  day  that  the  weather  permitted 
the  most  of  them  were  to  be  seen  playing  baseball  to 
the  very  best  of  their  ability. 

The  scene  was  a  most  curious  one,  and  ludicrous  in 
the  extreme.  Every  player  was  little  better  than  a 
moving  mountain  of  furs,  some  of  them  being  muffled 
up  until  only  their  eyes  and  nose  were  visible.  Their 
luinds  were  encased  in  mits  tiiieker  than  any  catchers' 
gloves,  and  a  good  fly  catch  was  almost  an  impos-^ 
sibility,  although  now  and  then  some  lucky  fellow 
would,  quite  as  much  to  his  own  surprise  as  to  that  of  his 
companions,  succeed  in  jMBrforraing  the  difficult  feat. 
Tumbles  were  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception, 
and  sliding  for  bases  was  the  regular  way  of  getting 
there.     Captaiu  Marling  generally  filled  the  import- 


^ 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


229 


it  of  the 
nest,  pro- 
ty.  He 
)ly  that  a 
)e  cleared 
field,  the 
I'e  else  on 
eh  would 
lases,  and 
rent  their 
skill  and 

rhe  space 
hed,  and 
permitted 
aseball  to 

licrous  in 
3r  than  a 
g  muffled 
e.  Their 
T  catchers' 
m  impos- 
kv  fellow 
that  of  his 
[cult  feat. 
?xception, 
)f  getting 
e  import- 


ant position  of   umpire,  doing  so   with  a  zeal  and 
gravity  worthy  of  a  League  official. 

Harold  and  Patsy  were,  of  course,  in  ecslacies  over 
the  baseball.  No  game  was  complete  without  them, 
and  they  were  looked  upon  as  the  "mascots"  ft)r  the 
respective  sides,  a  very  active  but  good-natured  rivalry 
being  created.  First  one  side  and  then  the  other  would 
develop  a  "  wonderful  baiting  streak,"  and  the  scores 
were  kept  with  great  acciira(;y,  so  that  comparisons 
could  be  made  at  the  end  of  the  week,  and  the  averages 
made  up.  It  need  hardly  be  said  that  there  were  no 
games  postponed  on  account  of  rain  while  the  season 
lasted.  So  that  an  Arctic  baseball  field  proved  itself 
to  be  not  entirely  without  advantuges. 

Although  the  only  thing  in  the  way  of  a  grand 
stand  was  a  big  snowdrift  at  one  side  of  the  '•dia- 
mond," the  game  was  not  without  spectators.  The 
Esquimaux  were  always  on  hand,  laughing  merrily  at 
the  mishaps  of  the  playere,  even  though  they  could  not 
appreciate  the  good  points  of  their  play.  If  the  ball 
chanced  to  roll  their  wav,  thev  would  all  make'a  rush 
for  it,  each  trying  to  be  the  first  to  pick  it  uj)  and 
return  it  to  the  nearest  player. 

By-and-by  the  sun  went  down  beldnd  the  horizon, 
and  did  not  come  up  again.  The  long  Arctic  night 
was  upon  the  people  of  the  "  Narwhal,"  and  for  tiiree 
weary  months  they  were  doomed  to  constant  twilight, 
the  Aurora  B«)realis,  that  flamed  and  flashed  across 
the  face  of  the  Northern  firmament  with  an  iudescrib- 


)    I 


!!     ill 


i  Hi  I 

'I 


?mv 


'im 


UP   AMONG   THE  ICE-rLOES. 


able  variety  of  splendor,  being  their  beautiful,  but  in- 
sufficient, substitute  for  tlie  sunlight. 

Harold  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  idea  of  parting 
with  the  sun.  It  seemed  very  strange  to  \Nake  up  in 
the  morning,  and  find  it  no  brighter  than  it  was  when 
lie  lay  down  to  sleep;  and  althongli  it  was  not  dark 
enough  to  prevent  one  from  going  abroad  as  usual, 
still  tlie  rantre  of  vision  was  verv  limited,  and  constant 
care  had  to  be  exercised. 

Baseball,  of  course,  became  no  longer  possible.  The 
shari)est  eye  could  not  follow  the  flight  of  the  sphere 
in  that  uncertain  light;  and  the  men  were  lamenting 
their  hard  fate,  when  again  the  clever  captain  proved 
equal  to  the  occasion.  He  had  foreseen  all  this  when 
he  was  making  ready  for  a  winter  in  the  land  of  dark- 
ness ;  and  from  that  mysterious  locker,  into  winch  not 
even  Harold  was  permitted  to  peep,  now  produced  a 
ball  which,  under  Dr.  Linton's  manipulation,  assumed, 
the  proportions  of  a  pumpkin. 

"Here,  Harold,"  said  the  captain,  tossing  him  the 
huge  sphere.  "  If  you  can't  see  a  baseball  in  this  dim 
light,  you'll  have  no  trouble  in  seeing  this.  We'll  play 
football  a  tier  this." 

And  play  football  they  did,  day  after  day,  during 
the  remainder  of  the  winter.  In  this  game  the  Esqui- 
maux became  active  sharers.  Thev  could  run  and  tumble 
and  trip  and  pick  up  a  pumpkin  as  well  as  any  of  their 
white  fi lends,  and  thev  entered  into  the  fun  with 
amazing  vigor  for  such  fat  little  fellows. 


Is 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


231 


I,  but  in- 

'  parting 
te  up  iu 
las  wlieu 
not  dui'k 
IS  usual, 
constant 

ble.  The 
le  sphere 
imentiiig 
1  proved 
liis  when 

of  dark- 
le 1 1  icli  not 
3duced  a 

assumed 

him  the 

this  dim 

^e'U  play 

v^  during 
le  Esqui- 
id  tumble 
7  of  their 
fun   with 


As  the  mouth  of  December  drew  toward  its  close, 
Harold  began  to  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  almanac, 
and  to  count  the  days  that  still  remained.  Evidently 
he  and  Patsy  had  something  important  on  their  minds, 
which  would  in  due  time  be  declared.  The  week  before 
the  twenty-fifth,  the  matter  was  made  known.  Cap- 
tain Marling  was  sitting  in  the  saloon,  reading,  when 
Harold  stepped  up  quietly,  and,  putting  his  arm  around 
his  fathered  neck,  said,  in  a  very  meaning  tone : 
*'  Father,  do  you  know  that  next  Wednesday  will  be 
the  twenty-fifth?  " 

Captain  Marling  looked  up,  and  there  was  a  sly 
twinkle  in  his  eye,  as  he  answered  :  "  I  hadn't  thougiit 
of  it,  Hal.     Why  do  you  mention  it?" 

'•'  You  know  well  enough,  father." 

"  I'll  know  better  if  you  tell  me,  Hal,"  returned 
the  captain,  who  was  apparently  impervious  to  liiuts. 

*•  Why,  it's  Christmas,  of  course,"  said  Harold, 
despairing  of  getting  his  father  to  say  it  for  him. 

"  Sure  enough,  my  boy,  sure  enough  !  What  a  pity 
we  were  not  at  home,  so  that  we  might  keep  it !"  And 
the  captain's  face  grew  contemplative. 

*'  But  we  will  keep  Christmas,  all  the  same,  won't 
we,  father?"  exclaimed  Harold,  somewhat  anxiously. 

"Keep  Christmas  up  here!  And  pray,  sir,  how 
shall  we  manage  that?  No  woods  to  get  a  Christmas 
tree  in.  No  shops  to  buy  Christmas  presents  in." 
And  the  captain  smiled,  as  though  to  imply  that  Harold 
was  talking  nonsense. 


1^  :« 


232 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE -FLOES. 


I"!*.- 
'■<■ 


.  i 


iiM 


But  the  bov  was  not  so  ea.*>ilv  rebuffed.  He  moro 
than  lialf  siispectetl  his  father  of  beinij  only  in  fun  ; 
and,  anyway,  he  intended  to  luive  just  as  good  a  Clirist- 
mas  as  could  be  managed  under  the  circunj-tances. 

"  If  we  can't  get  a  Christmas  tree,  or  buy  presents, 
we  can  liave  lots  of  fun,  all  the  same,  father,"  siud 
Harold,  in  a  very  determined  tone;  "and  I  mean  we 
shall  have  it,  if  you  have  no  olyections." 

"Not  a  bit,  my  boy,  not  a  bit,*'  laughed  the  captain. 
"Go  right  abend.  I'll  give  you  full  charge,  an<l  will 
do  my  best  to  hel{)  you.  Just  ask  for  what  you  want, 
and  you  shall  have  it." 

Harold  sprang  upon  his  father,  and  gave  him  a 
hearty  hug.  •'  You  dear,  good  fatlier.  You're  just 
the  best  father  in  the  world.  You  see  if  we  don't  have 
a  good  time." 

For  the  next  few  days  Harold  was  full  of  bu.-iness. 
He  made  Patsy  his  aid-de-camp;  and  the  two  boys 
■were  always  consulting  together  with  an  air  of  great 
my.stery  and  importance.  The  captain  gave  him  carte 
blanche  as  regarded  the  stores,  and  ili.«tructed  the  cook 
and  steward  to  assist  him  to  their  utmost. 

The  boys'  plans  were  simple  enough,  but  the  execu- 
tion of  them  afforded  them  a  great  deal  of  happiness. 
The  programme  was  as  follows :  There  wouhi  be  di- 
vine service  in  the  morning,  because  when  at  home  he 
had  always  gone  to  chiu'cii  on  Christmas.  This  his 
father  would  conduct,  just  as  he  did  the  service  every 
Sunday.     In  the  afternoon  there  would  be  a  grand 


UP  AMOXa  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


233 


rie  raoro 

in  fun ; 

I  Clirist- 

presents, 
r,"  snid 
nean  we 

captain. 
uu\  will 
ju  want, 

• 

B  Iiini  a 
j're  just 
)n'i  have 

bu^ine-is. 
svo  bovs 
of  great 
lim  carte 
liie  cook 

e  execu- 
ippiness, 
I  be  di- 
liome  lie 
This  his 
:e  every 
i  grand 


footl)all  niatcli,  in  wiiich  evervbodv  on  board  tliat 
couhl,  must  take  part,  to  be  followed  by  a  number  of 
races.  And  tlien,  in  the  evening,  a  big  diinier  in  tlie 
deck  house,  which  would  be  decorated  wiih  flags,  and 
pictures  and  furs,  to  tiie  extent  of  the  full  resources  of 
the  sljip. 

Christmas  came,  and  everybody  was  leady  to  cele- 
brate ii  heartily.  Harold  and  Patsy  were  in  high 
glee,  and  could  scarcely  maintain  due  decorum  during 
service,  so  that  it  was  quite  a  lelief  to  them  when  the 
football  began  and  they  could  give  free  vent  to  their 
feelings  by  shouting  and  running  to  their  heart's  con- 
tent. The  match  was  a  great  success.  Twenty  players 
took  part  on  each  side,  and  after  a  very  exciting 
contest,  and  iiinumerable  ludicrous  incidents,  Harold's 
side  came  off  victorious  by  three  goals  to  two  for 
Patsy's  side.  Tlie  races  went  off  equally  well;  and 
then,  with  appetites  worthy  of  Arctic  wolves,  they  ail 
returned  to  the  ship  to  make  ready  for  the  dinner. 

The  ileck  house  had  been  decorated  under  Dr.  Lin- 
ton's direction,  until  it  bore  quite  a  cosy  and  home- 
like appearance.  Two  long  tables  had  been  laid 
down  the  centre,  and  spread  with  the  captain's  best 
napery,  cutlery,  and  glassware.  The  saloon  chairs 
and  lounges  were  brought  up,  and  everything  done  to 
make  a  fine  appearance.  From  the  captain  to  the 
cook  everybody  donned  his  best  suit,  and  thus  at- 
tired the  men  of  the  "  Narwhal "  made  up  a  company 
that  any  captain  in  the  world  might  have  been  proud 


'  'P 
1 1(1 1 

!  'HI 

iiii] 
Ml 


234 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


i 


to  command,  as  they  took  their  seats  at  the  table  with 
waterv  mouths. 

The  dinner  was  a  veritable  triumph.  With  Christ- 
mas in  mind,  the  far-seeing  captain  iiad  directed  two 
of  the  finest  haunchts  of  reindeer  venison  to  be  put 
away,  froi'-eu  at  tlie  time  of  the  hunt,  and  tlie?«e, 
ronste(i  to  a  turn,  now  adorned  the  iieads  of  the 
tables.  Besides  that,  he  liad  permitted  Harold  to  raid 
his  supplies  of  canned  meats;  and  delicious  duck, 
toothsome  turkey,  marrowy  tongue,  and  other  dain- 
ties rare  to  the  sailors'  palate  gave  out  a  fascinating 
fragrance,  while  sweet  corn,  green  peas,  arid  red  toma- 
toes helped  to  make  up  a  feast  which  certainly  had 
never  been  surpassed  in  that  latitude. 

The  sailors  were  in  the  seventh  heaven  of  enjoy- 
ment. The  captain  and  his  party  were  their  liosts, 
and  they  saw  to  it  that  no  man  lacked  for  anything. 
Harold,  as  entertainer-in-chief, — for  his  father  would 
have  it  that  this  was  his  dinner, — was  never  still, 
going  about  from  man  to  man,  and  pressing  upon 
each  what  he  thought  would  be  liked  best. 

At  the  close  of  the  dinner  Captain  Marling  made  a 
short  speech,  referring  to  the  associations  of  the  day, 
and  then  the  health  of  their  gracious  ruler,  and  that 
of  the  dear  folks  at  home  was  remembered  with 
many  a  cheer. 

When  they  all  were  quiet  once  more,  the  captai 
stood  up  and  announced  that  the  second  part  of  the 
day's  entertainment  would  now  take  place.    Every- 


"Tfl 


CP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


235 


ble  with 

I  Clirist- 
ned  two 
>  be  put 
d  the.«e, 
s  of  the 
1  to  raid 
IS  duck, 
er  dain- 
scinating 
ed  toma- 
iuly  had 

if  enjoy- 
ir  hosts, 
nvtliintr. 
r  would 
'er  still, 
Qg  upon 

made  a 
the  day, 
uid  that 
ed  with 

captaiii 

•t  of  tlie 

Every- 


body knew  what  was  coming,  for  Harold  had  made 
Ho  secret  of  the  matter.  But  they  were  none  tiie  less 
eager,  notwithstanding. 

Some  fifteen  minutes  previously,  Patsy  had  been 
sent  as  a  mes.senger  to  the  Esquimaux,  bearing  an  in- 
vitation for  the  entire  party  to  come  over  in  a  l)ody  to 
the  steamer,  where  there  was  sonjething  pleasant  in 
store  for  them.  Tliey  accepted,  of  course;  and  now 
the  men,  women,  and  children,  to  the  number  of  fifty, 
at  least,  were  pressing  into  fhe  brilliantly  illuminated 
room,  whose  radiance  almost  blinded  their  eyes,  un- 
accustomed to  such  light.  Harold  gave  them  a  warm 
welcome,  and  led  them  to  the  after-part  of  the  room, 
where,  in  the  open  space,  a  large  object,  shrouded 
in  canvas  had  been  looking  very  mysterious.  With 
happy,  expectant  faces  they  crowded  about  him,  while 
the  crew  surrounded  them  with  a  ring  of  interested 
spectators. 

Harold  clapped  his  hands  as  a  signal  for  somebody 
unseen.  The  canvas  cover  was  suddenly  whisked 
away,  and,  lo !  before  the  gaze  of  all  stood  a  veritable 
Christmas  tree,  covered  with  all  sorts  of  decorations 
and  parcels,  and  dotted  with  candles,  which  the  two 
boys  proceeded  rapidly  to  light.  There  was  a  vigor- 
ous round  of  applause  from  the  ship's  company,  in 
\vhich  the  Esquimaux,  not  understanding  anything 
more  than  that  everybody  was  in  high  good  humor, 
joined  by  grinning  to  the  full  extent  of  their  capa- 
cious m(    ths. 


Mil?! 


236 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLO F5. 


At  first  sight,  aiivi  viewed  fi'ora  a  little  distance,  the 
Cliriatnias  tree  looked  natural  enough,  but  on  closer 
examination  it  won  hi  be  .seen  to  be  .'^uch  a  tree  as 
probably  had  never  been  set  up  in  honor  of  Santa 
Claus  before.  There  were,  of  course,  no  trees  to  be 
had  far  Nortii,  and  Harold  would  have  been  compelled 
to  do  without  what  seemed  to  him  the  chiefest  ])art  of 
a  Christmas  celebration,  had  not  hid  friend  Lewis  come 
to  his  aid. 

"  I'll  make  you  a  Chl'istmas  tree,  Hal,"  said  he, 
when  Harold  had  told  him  his  diffiouliv. 

"  How  can  you  do  that?"  asked  Harold,  eagerly. 

''  Easy  enough,"  replied  Lewis,  "  Make  it  out  of 
reindeers'  horns," 

Harold  could  not  understand  it  at  first,  but  Lewis 
soon  made  his  meaning  plain.  A  post  was  set  up  as  a 
backbone,  and  to  this  tiie  branching  antlers  were 
secured  in  such  a  way  that  when  the  work  was  com- 
plete the  effect  was  capital,  and  the  resemblance  to  a 
tree  quite  striking. 

tiarold  was  delighted  with  it.  He  thought  it  even 
better  than  the  regulation  spruce  cone  ;  and  now  that 
it  was  laden  witii  gifts  for  the  people  of  the  very 
region  from  which  old  Santa  Clans  is  popularly  sup- 
posed to  set  out  on  Jiis  annual  joy-giving  journey,  it 
seemed  to  him  the  finest  Christmas  tree  in  his  expe- 
rience. The  gifts  were  both  numerous  and  appropri- 
ate. Everybody  on  board  had  contributed  something. 
There  were  knives,  and  hatchets  fyr  the  men,  needles 


TJP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


237 


nice,  the 
>ii  closer 
L  tree  as 

f  Santa 
es  to  be 
)ra{)elled 

])art  of 
^viri  come 

said  he, 

igei'ly. 
t  out  of 


it  Lewis 

t  up  as  a 

I 

2i's  were 

-as  com- 

nce  to  a 

t  it  even 

low  tliat 

lie  very 

1 

irly  sup- 

irney,  it 

is  expe- 

ppropn- 

j 

uethiiur. 

needles 

and  beads  for  the  women,  cakes  and  sweetmeats  for  the 
children,  and  many  another  tiling  besides,  while  piled 
about  the  foot  of  the  tree  w^ w  a  number  of  basrs,  one 
for  each  household,  containing  biscuits,  sugar,  tobacco, 
and  salt,  delicacies  as  rare  among  the  Esquimaux  as 
are  canvas  back  and  terrapin  among  ordinary  folk  to 
the  South. 

Tlie  scene  in  the  deck  house  that  evenincr  was  an 
exceedingly  happy  one,  and  Harold  vowed  that  he  had 
never  spent  a  more  delightful  Christmas  in  his  life, 
thereby  showing  very  clearly  how  much  more  blessed 
it  is  to  give  than  to  receive.  Having  been  well  feasted 
with  tiie  remains  of  the  dinner,  the  natives  went  back 
to  their  igloos,  not  much  wiser,  perhaps,  on  the  subject 
of  Christmas,  but  certai-nly  very  much  pleased  with 
the  conduct  of  their  white  friends. 

Tiie  longest  winter,  like  the  longest  night,  must 
come  to  an  end,  and  in  due  time  the  combination  of 
night  and  ^^ inter  the  "Narwhal"  was  expeiiencing 
passed  away,  and  the  sun  returned.  Eacii  day  he 
stayed  a  little  longer  in  the  heavens,  and  each  day  the 
effect  of  his  beams  became  more  perceptible.  As  the 
days  grew  longer  and  warmer,  the  people  of  the 
"Narwhal"  grew  restive.  They  were  utterly  weary 
of  their  inactive  life,  and  buriiQd  to  be  off  on  their 
homeward  voyage.  Not  even  Captain  Marling  was 
exempt  from  this  restlessness  of  spirit,  and  it  was  in 
order  to  ])acify  it,  for  a  time  at  least,  that  lie  planned 
an  exploring  expedition  which  came  very  near  bring- 


■'i: 


li.A 


! 


238 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


ing  about  a  terrible  catastrophe.  But  the  story  must 
wait  for  the  following  chapter.  We  may,  however, 
add  just  here,  that  it  led  them  into  a  peril — grave 
beyond  the  others — from  which  by-and-by  they  could 
tell  of  their  rescue.  A  peril  too,  that  added  greatly 
to  Harold's  reasons  for  giving  special  thanksgiving 
to  God.  He  had  stored  up  many  before;  but  this 
added  one  that  he  never  forgot.  But  we  must  go 
on  to  tell  of  it. 


Wl 


storv  must 

¥ 

,  however, 
ril — grave 
they  could 
ed  greatly 
inksffivintr 

;  but  this 
!  must  go 


CHAPTER  XX. 


HOME  AGAIN. 


rpHE  northern  side  of  Garry  Bay  was  formed  by  a 
J-  great  stern  headland  that  tiirust  its  barren  bulk 
far  out  into  the  watera  of  Boothia  Gulf.  At  the  point 
it  rose  into  a  peak  whose  summit  commanded  an 
immense  stretch  of  land  and  sea.  Growing  impatient 
at  the  slow  advance  of  spring,  for  whose  warm  hand 
he  must  needs  wait  to  unlock  the  icv  fetters  that  bound 
liis  ship  fast,  Captain  Marling  determined  to  attempt 
the  ascent  of  this  peak  to  see,  if  from  so  lofty  an  eyrie, 
he  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  open  water  in  the  gulf 
beyond,  for  as  far  as  eye  could  see  from  the  "  Narwhal" 
the  ice  was  still  unbroken. 

The  time  was  the  latter  part  of  April.  The  days 
"were  already  moderate  in  temperature, — that  is,  they 
were  like  ordinary  winter  days  Halifax, — and  there 
ought  to  be  no  difficulty  in  carrying  out  the  captain's 
sclienie.  Harold  was  very  glad  to  hear  of  it.  Nothing 
would  suit  him  better.  "  Of  course,  you'll  let  me  go, 
father,"  said  he,  confidently. 

"Oh,  I  suppose  so,  Hal,  if  you  promise  to  be  a 
very  good  boy,"  answered  the  captain. 

"  And  may  Patsy  come  too,  father  ?  "  asked  Harold. 

"He'd  like  to  ever  so  much." 

239 


240 


UP  AMONG   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


The  captain  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then,  as  if 
something  had  just  occurred  to  his  mind,  said  :  "Yes, 
yes,  certainly  ;  you  may  both  come.  It  will  probably 
be  our  last  picnic." 

They  started  the  following  day,  the  party  being 
made  up  as  follows  :  Captain  Marling,  Dr.  Linton, 
Frank  Lewis,  both  the  engineers,  Harold,  Patsy,  and 
half  a  dozen  sailors  with  Big  Alec  at  their  head. 
Then  there  were  three  Esquimaux  sledges,  heavily  laden 
with  tents,  provisions,  and  firewood,  under  the  charge 
of  native  drivers,  who  orackefl  their  long  whips  and 
looked  very  important  as  the  procession  moved  away 
from  the  ship. 

Evei'vbody  had  to  walk  of  course,  and  the  going 
was  none  too  good,  so  that  the  rate  of  progress  was 
not  more  than  about  three  miles  an  hour.  Tliis,  how- 
ever, would  take  them  to  the  base  of  the  mountain  at 
least  an  hour  before  the  early  nightfall,  and  tliat  would 
allow  them  sufficient  time  to  put  up  their  camps,  and 
make  tiiemselvcs  comfortable  for  the  night.  For  the 
first  hour  or  so,  the  boys  kept  well  up  witii  the  head 
of  the  party,  but  after  that  they  began  to  lag  and 
drop  back,  until  presently  they  brougiit  up  the  rear, 
and  more  than  once  the  captain  had  to  call  out: 
"Brace  up,  boys,  brace  up!  There's  no  time  fur 
loitei'ing." 

Harold  looked  verv  lonjrinijlv  at  the  sledires,  which 
the  well-trained  dogs  seemed  to  have  no  difficulty  in 
dragging  over  the  snow  that  bothercKl  liim  so  much. 


UP  AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


241 


n,  Qs  if 

:  "Yes, 
probably 

tv  beinij 
Linton, 
Ltsy,  and 
iir  head, 
ilv  ladea 
e  charge 
liips  and 
red  away 

(le  going 

he.ss  was 

lis,  liow- 

intain  at 

at  would 

ips,  and 

For  tlie 

he  head 

lag  and 

he  rear, 

all  out : 

inie   for 

.a,  which 
iculiy  in 
D  much. 


He  was  too  proud  to  confess  himself  tired  out,  and 
would  rather  have  dropped  in  his  tracks  than  beg  for 
a  lift.  But  oh  I  how  glad  he  was  when  his  father, 
looking  back  and  noticing  his  lagging  gait, called  out: 
"Getting  played  out,  Hal?  Well,  you  and  Patsy 
just  jump  upon  the  sleds  for  a  while  aud  rest  your- 
selves." 

The  lK)ys  did  not  need  to  be  told  twice.  The  next 
moment  they  were  each  upon  a  sledge,  and  thus,  by 
alternate  walking  and  riding,  reached  the  campground 
in  good  condition.  Tiie  tents  were  pitched  in  a  snug 
little  pocket  at  the  mountain's  foot,  the  fires  made,  the 
eupjier  cooked,  the  dogs  fed,  and  then,  ix)lling  them- 
selves in  furs,  the  wiiole  }^rty  lay  down  to  sleep  as  only 
tired  men  c^n  sleep.  Tlie  long  night  passed  quietly 
away,  the  only  sound  that  broke  the  stillness  being 
the  occasional  barking  of  a  dog  given  to  disturbing 
dreams,  or  the  snoring  of  some  heavy  sleejier. 

All  were  awake  at  dawn,  and  glad  to  got  the  cup 
of  steaming  hot  tea  the  cook  soon  had  ready  for  them. 
Then  preparations  were  made  for  the  ascent  of  the 
mountain.  With  the  exception  of  one  Esquimau, 
who  was  left  in  charge  of  the  dogs,  and  two  sailors  to 
take  eare  of  the  tents,  the  whole  party  set  out.  Tiie 
day  was  perfect — the  sky  unclouded,  the  sun  in  full 
force,  and  the  wind  light. 

"  We  has'e  everything  in  our  favor,"  said  Captain 
Marling  to  Lewis,  "and,  barring  accidents,  we  ought 
to  be  back  here  early  in  the  afternoon." 


242 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


li         ■'% 


"  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  we  nee<l  to  keep  sharp  look- 
out for  avalanches,"  answered  Lewis.  "The  sun 
seems  to  have  already  melted  the  snow  a  good  deal 
about  here." 

"That's  so,  Lewis,"  returned  the  captain.  "We 
must  keep  our  eyes  and  ears  open.'* 

They  divided  into  two  parties,  Captain  Marling 
taking  the  lead  of  one,  and  Frank  Lewis  that  of  the 
other.  Tiie  two  boys  werewitii  Lewis,  as  the  captain 
wished  to  go  on  ahead,  leaving  the  others  to  follow  in 
the  path  marked  out  by  him.  For  a  time,  their  pro- 
gress was  not  very  difficult,  the  winter's  winds  having 
lacked  the  snow  firnily  about  the  mountaiu's  base,  so 
that  the  foot  made  little  impi*ession  ujx)n  it.  But  as 
they  clinibed  higher  and  higher,  the  ascent  becan)e 
more  arduous,  and  Harold  found  tliat  it  taxed  his 
strength  severely  to  keep  his  place  in  the  party, 
although  the  pauses  for  rest  were  frequent. 

"Sakes  alive.  Patsy,  but  this  is  hai*d  work!"  he 
exclaimed,  tl»rowing  himself  down  upon  a  snowbank. 
"  If  I  wasn't  so  bound  to  get  to  tiie  top  of  this  old 
mountain,  I'd  just  stay  where  I  am  until  the  otiiers 
came  back." 

"  Sure,  I'd  be  glad  enough  to  stay  here,  as  it  is," 
replied  Patsy,  who  was  not  at  all  an>bitious  for  fame 
as  a  mountaineer,  or  eager  for  a  fine  view. 

"  Oh,  no !  We  must  go  on  to  the  top,"  returned 
Harold,  rising  to  his  feet.  "  Come  along  with  you." 
And  off  they  started  again. 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


243 


larp  look- 

The   sun 

^ood  deal 

n.     «We 

Marlincf 
lat  of  the 
le  ca2)tain 
follow  in 
their  pro- 
Is  having 
s  base,  so 
.  But  as 
t  becan)e 
taxed  his 
iie   party, 

ork!'*  he 
lowlxink. 
f  this  old 
he  others 

as  it  is," 
for  fame 

returned 
itli  you/' 


Toilsome  and  tiring  work  it  was,  now  creeping 
carefully  on  hands  and  knees  around  a  perilous  cor- 
ner; now  climbing  in  the  same  fashion  straight  up 
some  slippery  slope;  then  walking  in  Indian  file 
along  a  narrow  ledge,  where  a  single  false  step  meant 
instant  destruction — there  was  demanded  a  constant 
exercise  of  watchfulness  and  care  Each  party  of 
climbers  was  strung  out  u{X)n  a  long  rope,  which  they 
fastened  around  their  waists,  thus  making  it  impossible 
for  one  to  be  carried  away  unless  all  went  together. 
The  two  boys  were  in  the  centre  of  the  Lewis  party, 
and  many  a  serious  tumble  would  they  have  had  but 
for  the  sustaining  rope.  Onward  and  upward  tliey 
toiled,  as  the  morning  hours  slipped  away,  often 
halting  for  a  few  minutes  to  take  breath,  and  rest 
their  wearied  limbs.  They  found  the  good  of  the 
football  practice,  for  it  had  kept  both  wind  and 
muscle  in  working  order.  Indeed,  but  for  it,  the 
ascent  would  probably  have  had  td  be  abandoned  as 
beyond  their  ^K)wers. 

After  two  hours  of  climbing,  they  came  to  a  spot 
where  the  captain  ordered  a  halt  to  consider  the 
situation.  This  was  far  from  promising.  Before 
them  stretched  a  long,  smooth  slope  of  snow,  which 
had  the  rugged  mass  of  the  mountain  top  above,  and 
below  the  dark  abyss  of  a  gorge,  whose  depth  there 
was  no  estimating.  The  only  way  onward  lay  across 
this  perilous  slot)e,  and  Captain  Marling  hesitated 
before  attempting  it.    When  Lewis  came  up  they  con- 


244 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


I*  !  .  1 


suited  togetlier  for  some  minutes,  and  at  last  tlie  cap- 
tain decided  to  make  the  venture  first  with  his  party, 
leaving  Lewis  and  his  to  follow,  in  event  of  the  paas- 
age  across  j)roving  not  so  dangerous  as  it  appeared, 
Accordinglv,  takinjj  with  iiini  one  of  the  enirineers, 
tlie  most  active  of  the  seamen,  and  tlie  sturdiest  of  ti»e 
two  Esquimaux,  and  seeing  to  it  that  they  were 
securely  fastened  to  tlie  rope,  Captain  Marling  at- 
tacked the  slope.  Each  man  carried  a  good  ice 
pick,  and  the  leader  at  the  critical  places  cut  holes  for 
the  feet  before  proceeding. 

"Doesn't  it  look  dangerous,  Mr.  Lewis?''  said 
Harold,  drawing  close  to  the  second  mate,  for  he  felt 
very  nervous.  "  Do  you  think  father  will  get  across 
all  right?" 

"To  be  sure  he  will,"  answered  Lewis,  cheerfully. 
"He'll  do  it  in  about  ten  minutes." 

Slowly  but  surely  the  four  men  crept  onward,  until 
they  were  lialf  way  across.  Then  they  rested  a 
moment,  and  the  captain,  looking  back,  waved  his 
hand  triumphantly,  and  shouted:  "It's  all  right! 
There's  no  danger  ! " 

He  had  better  have  kept  silence.  His  rash  boast 
echoing  from  peak  to  peak,  through  the  still  air, 
aroused  the  sleeping  demon  of  the  mountain.  Far  up 
alwve  him,  among  the  scars  that  seamed  the  summit, 
there  was  a  sound  of  rustling  that  swiftly  swelled  into 
an  ominous  roar.  The  captain  heard  it,  and  looked 
upward  with  a  startled  glance.     Lewis  heard  it,  and 


m 


t  the  cap- 
liis  party, 
the  paas- 
ap})eared. 
^nirineers, 

O  7 

est  of  t lie 
liev  were 
irlinar  at- 
good  ice 
holes  for 

5?"  said 
3r  he  felt 
^et  across 

leerfullv. 

ird,  until 
rested  a 
aved  his 
11   right! 

isli  boast 
still  air, 
Far  up 
summit, 
illed  into 
i  looked 
d  it,  and 


SImw 


Up  Aiiioiii,'  tile  k'p  Floi's. 


Vixao  L'l') 


:,     T 


UP  AMOXa   THE  ICE-FLOES. 


245 


^^M 

~~ 

1 

J 

■'It       1 

.1 

r     <'///'  ' 

"{ 

hk 

cried  out  in  an  agony  of  alarm  :  "God  Ijelp  tlieni ! 
tlie  avalanche  !"  But  tiicre  was  no  time  for  rescue  or 
retreat.  With  awful  speed,  a  vast  mass  of  snow  that 
had  been  iianging  up  there  ready  for  a  fall  leaped 
over  the  edge  and  went  hurtling  down  the  sh)pe, 
sweeping  all  before  it  into  the  abyss  beyond.  For  an 
instant  the  air  was  dense  with  particles  of  snow;  then  it 
cleared,  and  on  the  spot  where  four  strong  men  had  the 
moment  before  been  standing,  bracing  themselves  to 
withstand  the  shock,  there  was  not  even  a  mark  of 
their  footprints.  The  mountain  had  conquered,  after 
all! 

Struck  dumb  with  horror,  the  spectators  of  this 
terrible  catastrophe  stood  motionless.  Lewis  was  the 
first  to  recover  himself. 

"All  hands  to  the  rescue  !"  he  cried.  "There's  not 
a  moment  to  lose.'* 

Without  a  word  the  others  followed  him  as  he  set 
off  on  the  path  they  had  come,  Harold  feeling  as 
though  it  were  all  some  dreadful  dream  from  which 
in  time  he  must  awaken.  Lewis'  keen  eve  had  cau^jjlit 
sight  of  a  ledge  leading  down  into  the  gorge  where 
Captain  Marling  and  his  men  had  been  hurled.  If 
they  could  only  get  to  them  they  might  yet  be  able  to 
save  them.  The  ledge  fid  filled  its  promise,  and  hast- 
ening down  as  rapidly  as  they  dared,  they  reached  the 
upper  end  of  the  gorge.  To  Lewis'  delight  this 
gorge  proved  not  to  be  so  deep  as  it  seemed  from 
above,  and  clambering  along  over  the  tumbled  snow 


246 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


that  filled  it  half  full,  they  came  at  length  to  the  veiy 
spot  where  the  avalanche,  bearing  its  human  prey,  liad 
taken  its  mad  plunge.  Tliere  was  no  doubt  about  the 
place,  for  one  of  tlie  ice  })icks  projected  through  the 
snow  like  a  signal  of  distress. 

They  had  no  spades,  but  the  snow  was  loose,  and  at 
it  they  went  with  their  hands,  working  for  dear  life. 
Presently  a  glad  shout  from  Lewis  announced  that 
something  had  been  found.  It  was  a  foot.  Digging 
away  furiously,  the  whole  body  was  soon  uncovered, 
and  behold  it  was  the  seaman  who  had  brought  up 
the  rear.  Tiie  rope  was  still  attached  to  him.  He 
was  insensible,  but  breathing. 

"  Hurrah !  '^  cried  Lewis.  "  We'll  have  them  all 
soon." 

The  digging  went  on  with  redoubled  vigor.  The 
engineer,  the  Esquimau,  and  lastly  Captain  Marling 
were  disinterred.  All  were  unconscious,  but  happily 
none  were  dead.  The  shock  of  tlie  avalanche,  the 
fall  over  the  cliff,  and  then  the  smothering  plunge  into 
the  deep  snow  had  driven  them  into  insensibility;  but, 
strange  to  say,  beyond  a  few  scratches  in  the  face,  none 
seemed  to  have  received  any  other  injury. 

Under  Dr.  Linton's  direction,  vigorous  measures 
were  taken  to  restore  the  rescued  ones.  These  were 
speedily  successful.  One  by  one  they  regained  con- 
sci()u>ness,  and  tlien  to  the  delight  of  all  it  was  dis- 
covered that  not  a  bone  had  been  broken  or  serious 
hurt  suffered. 


UP  AMONG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


247 


the  veiy 
prey,  liad 
ibout  tlie 
oiigli  tlie 

se,  and  at 
dear  life, 
iced  tliat 
Digging 
ncovered, 
anght  up 
lim.     He 

them  all 

or.  The 
Marling 
t  happily 
nche,  the 
iinge  into 
lity ;  but, 
face,  none 

measures 
lese  were 
ined  con- 
;  was  dis- 
or  serious 


"Tjet  us  thank  God  for  our  most  wonderful  escape," 
6aid  Captain  Marling,  fervently,  when  he  had  quite  re- 
covered himself.  *'\Ve  will  not  risk  our  lives  in  an- 
other attempt,  but  return  to  the  camp  at  ouce.'* 

During  all  this  time  of  harrowing  uncertainty 
Harold  had  shown  remarkable  sell-ccnitrol.  After 
the  first  cry  of  horror,  not  a  sound  escaped  his  lips; 
but  no  one  had  dug  into  the  snow  with  more  desperate 
enerev,  and  it  was  his  hands  that  fir.-jt  touched  his 
father's  form.  Now  that  the  agony  was  over,  the 
natural  reaction  followed,  and  his  suppressed  feelings 
foimd  relief  in  a  flood  of  teal's  as  his  father  hujjijred 
him  to  his  heart. 

So  rejoiced  were  all  at  the  wonderfid  escape  of  Cap- 
tain Marling  and  his  companions,  that  there  was  no 
room  for  regret  at  the  mountain  being  left  unsealed. 
Returning  at  once  to  the  camp,  they  resttd  there  for 
the  night,  and  the  following  day  made  their  way  back 
to  the  "  Narwhal "  without  farther  mishap. 

There  was  still  a  month  of  waiting  before  them, 
which  they  found  very  hard  to  endure  patiently  ere 
the  glad  cry  of  **open  water  in  sight''  came  down 
from  the  crow's  nest,  and  it  was  a  fortnight  after  that 
before  the  open  water  made  its  way  into  the  "Nar- 
whal's" snug  harbor.  Then  the  fervid  Arctic  sinnmer 
seemed  to  come  with  a  rush.  The  ice  broke  up  into 
floes  as  the  warm  wind  blew  upon  it,  the  snow  van- 
ished from  the  hillsides  before  the  hot  ravs  or  the 
sun,  and  the  great  gulf  that  had  so  lately  been  sleep- 


248 


UP  AMONG  THE   ICE-FLOES. 


1115:  hcncatli  its  icv  coverlet  awoke  into  waves  that 
(lanced  and  i^parkled  merrily  in  tlie  sunshine,  aa 
though  they  were  cliallcn'^ing  the  noble  vessel  which, 
like  them,  had  been  for  months  asleep,  to  arouse  her- 
self and  prepare  for  action. 

The  challenge  was  prom [)tly  accepted.  The  "Nar- 
whal" was  readv.  Nothing  remained  to  be  done. 
The  deck  house  had  been  cleared  away,  the  topmasts 
sent  up,  the  engines  oiled  and  burnished,  and  so  on  a 
beautiful  morning  in  June,  amid  the  joyful  cheers  of 
the  crew,  the  sturdy  steamer  moved  smoothly  out  into 
the  broad  waters  of  the  gulf,  and  the  homeward  jour- 
nev  was  begun. 

Harold  stood  beside  his  father  on  the  bridge,  his 
face  beaming  with  joy. 

"  You  look  as  though  you  were  glad  to  be  getting 
back  home,  Hal,''  said  the  captain,  laying  his  hand 
upon  his  shoulder. 

"I  am  indeed,  father.  I  think  we've  had  a 
splendid  time  of  it  up  here,  but  I'll  be  so  glad  to  see 
dear  old  Halifax  again,"  answered  Harold. 

"You  wouldn't  care  to  change  places  with  one  of 
those  Esquimaux,  then?"  inquired  the  captain,  with 
a  smile. 

"  Not  by  a  long  chalk,"  res})onded  Harold,  promptly. 
"  One  winter  in  the  ice  is  all  well  enough ;  but  to 
spend  one's  whole  life  here  !  Ugh  !  it  would  soon  be 
the  death  of  me." 

Favored   by   fair    weather   the  "  Narwhal "    made 


UP   AMONG   THE   ICE-FLOES. 


249 


good  progress  up  tlic  Gulf  to  Priuce  Regent's  Souiul, 
tlience  passing  through  Lancaster  Sound  and  out  upon 
the  vast  expanse  of  Jjaffin's  Bay,  where,  getting  into 
the  sweep  of  the  great  Arctic  current  setting  strongly 
southward,  she  sped  past  Davis'  Strait  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  The  passage  was  marked  by  little  incident. 
The  constant  presence  of  floe  and  berg  rendered  a 
careful  lookout  from  the  crow's  nest  always  necessary, 
but  everv  damper  of  this  kind  was  successfully 
avoided,  and  by  tlie  latter  part  of  August  the  steamer, 
having  halted  at  Nachvak  to  land  Lane,  the  inter- 
preter, was  gliding  past  the  forbidding  coast  of  New- 
foundland at  a  rate  that  three  davs  later  brouuht  her 
into  Halifax  harbor. 

Great  was  the  interest  her  return  created,  and  Cap- 
tain Marling  found  himself  (juite  a  lion  in  nautical 
circles  because  of  his  remarkable  voyage.  ILirold 
too  came  in  for  an  embarrassing  amount  of  attention, 
his  former  playmates  looking  uj)on  him  as  a  hero  of 
the  first  rank.  As  for  Patsy,  when,  arrayed  in  brand 
new  clothes,  and  with  a  pocket  full  of  money,  ho 
appeared  like  a  vision  in  the  midst  of  the  squalid 
surroundings  from  which  he  had  fled  with  such  hapj)y 
results,  his  |)eople  utterly  failed  to  recognize  him,  and 
he  had  some  difficulty  in  persuading  them  that  this 
stout,  strong,  brown-faced  lad  who  bore  himself  so 
well  was  the  lean,  shambling,  unkempt  creature  that 
they  had  known  as  Patsy  Kehoe. 

When  the  results  of  the  vovajre  came  to  be  ascer- 


250 


UP   AMOXG  THE  ICE-FLOES. 


tained,  Captain  Marling  had  no  cause  to  regret  Iiifl 
venture.  Tlie  well-stored  tanks  yielded  a  rich  return, 
and  afier  dividing  a  handsome  sum  among  the  sin'p's 
company,  everybody  coming  in  for  a  share,  the  baknce 
remaining  to  his  credit  was  so  considerable,  that  he  was 
enabled  to  carry  out  his  design  of  giving  up  the  sea, 
and  settling  down  to  a  life  on  dry  land  for  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  finding  congenial  employment 
in  tlie  owning  and  management  of  ships. 

As  regards  Harold,  liowever,  the  result  of  the 
voyage  was  prec^isely  the  opposite.  It  determined  his 
future  by  making  it  clear  beyond  all  question  that  the 
sea  was  hh  vocation.  Accompanied  by  Patsy,  who 
was  ever  to  him  what  old  Peter  Strum  had  been  to  his 
father,  he  circumnavigated  the  globe  in  the  captain's 
vessels,  and  in  due  time  rose  by  steady  gradations  until 
at  length  he  trod  the  quarter  deck  the  proud  com- 
mander of  his  own  ship. 

But  far  a'  d  wide  as  he  sailed,  and  many  and  mar- 
velous as  were  his  adventures,  wherever  asked  what 
was  the  most  momentous  and  interesting  experience  of 
his  life,  lie  always  answered  that  it  was  the  voyage  he 
took  in  the  good  steamer  "  Narwiial,"  up  among  the 
Arctic  ice-floes. 


THE  END. 


regret  his 
cIi  return, 
the  sliij/s 
le  balance 
uit  lie  was 
ip  the  sea, 
1  for  the 
iploymeiit 

t  of  the 
mined  his 
1  that  the 
Eitsy,  wlio 
sen  to  his 
captain's 
ions  until 
•ud  com- 


md  mar- 
ked wliat 
irience  of 
'^oyage  he 
Qong  the 


m 

tkfl 


